Unknown Relations: The Philosopher's Stone
by ksomm814
Summary: Complete.Follow Orion Black as he enters his first year at Hogwarts and learns more than he ever imagined about his mysterious past, the scar on his forehead shaped like a lighting bolt and the boy who lived, Hayden Potter.
1. The Letter

_Disclaimer: This story is based on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone which is not mine. _

Chapter 1

The Letter

At first glance, anyone would think those living at Black Manor were the most normal of families. That is, of course, if Black Manor could be seen by normal people for those living in the large house were anything but normal. Sirius Black, the Master of the house, was in fact a wizard. He worked at the Ministry of Magic as an Auror, the wizarding version of a police officer. He had been instrumental in the capture of many dark wizards and was extremely well known throughout the wizarding world. After the end of the war and the defeat of the dark wizard Voldemort, Sirius Black made it his personal mission to send anyone associated with Voldemort to Azkaban.

It also didn't hurt that Sirius Black was a rather good looking man. The newspapers loved printing his picture whenever there was an article about him. He was average height but well built, although not overly so. His grey eyes and short black hair that fell into his eyes gave him a youthfulness look that added to the jokester attitude which had become his trademark. Sirius had an aristocratic look about him which wasn't surprising since he was a member of one of the few pure-blooded wizarding families remaining in existence. He had been one of the few purebloods to oppose Voldemort, making him an outcast among purebloods.

Until Voldemort was defeated by a mere child.

Not much was known about Voldemort's defeat and even less was revealed to the public. All that was known was that Voldemort was seeking out the Potter twins and managed to find them with the help of the traitor, Peter Pettigrew. Peter had betrayed his friends by joining Voldemort's followers, the Death Eaters. He had kept his betrayal a secret for nearly a year, gaining the trust of his friends to be named the Secret Keeper for the Potters when they went into hiding under the Fidelius Charm. With the Fidelius Charm, the location of the Potters was magically concealed inside Peter Pettigrew's soul. Only Peter could reveal their location. Only Peter could betray them.

Sirius had been the first choice as the Secret Keeper but with the demands of his job, he had claimed it had been too dangerous. He was fighting Death Eaters every day. If he had been captured, there was a chance the secret could have been forced out of him. He couldn't risk the lives of his godsons that way. Hayden and Harry Potter were too important to him to take that risk. They were the reason he fought as hard as he did to make the wizarding world a better place for them.

However, Sirius' efforts weren't enough to prevent the attack on Godric's Hollow on Halloween night when the twins were only a year old. James and Lily Potter had been called away to an emergency meeting of the Order of the Phoenix, leaving the twins with a child minder. The Order was a private group led by the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore. This group was comprised of witches and wizards with a large variety of occupations, determined to stop Voldemort. The Ministry was doing what they could but there were too many politicians and spies for Voldemort within its walls. No one could be trusted so the Order was created.

Halfway through the Order meeting, the alarms sounded alerting everyone that the wards at Godric's Hollow had been breached. The entire Order hurried to Godric's Hollow to find the Potter's house nearly destroyed. James and Lily ran to the nursery followed by Sirius and their close friend, Remus Lupin. They had hoped and prayed that by some miracle the nearly identical twins had been spared with every step. The mere possibility of their death was inconceivable.

Entering the nursery, the four adults had been shocked to find Hayden sitting on the floor, silently crying as he held his unconscious brother, Harry. Harry's face was covered with blood and his breathing was labored. Sirius pulled Harry out of Hayden's arms and rushed him to Hogwarts while everyone else checked on Hayden. While Harry fought to stay alive, Hayden was announced as the-boy-who-lived, the defeater of Voldemort. While the wizarding world celebrated, the Order retreated to Hogwarts and waited for word on the injured twin. Harry made a slow recovery. He had suffered from magical exhaustion and had a scar on his forehead in the shape of a lightening bolt. Harry's injuries had been explained as a result of being caught in the cross fire between Hayden and Voldemort.

No one questioned the declaration.

Much had changed in the nine-and-a-half years since that night. Most of the changes were events that no one talked about. The Potters went back into hiding unless they were asked to make an appearance with the-boy-who-lived. For nearly three and a half years after that night, the Potters were on the front page of the wizarding paper, 'The Daily Prophet', at least once a week with Hayden placed proudly between them. Then, another event happened, another that no one other than those involved knew about. The Potter's retreated into solitude with their son, Hayden, and their daughter, Rose. They never spoke to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin again.

Sirius and Remus were deeply hurt by the cold shoulder from their best friends but couldn't waste too much time worrying about it. They had to help each other in raising Sirius' son, Orion. No one knew the special circumstance resulting in Orion's existence. They knew Orion Black was adopted and, by the aid of a potion, was Sirius' actual son. He looked exactly like Sirius except for his eyes, his intense green eyes. Nothing was said about Orion's birth parents, not even to Orion. All Orion knew was that he had a father who loved him more than life itself and an Uncle who was the voice of reason in their family.

Orion remembered nothing of his life before his adoption. At first, it had been awkward to be a five-year-old with no memories but Orion had quickly formed plenty of memories with his father, Uncle, Grandfather (Albus Dumbledore), and quite a few students at Hogwarts. Orion visited the school once a month because the manor was deemed unsafe for him. During the full moon, Remus turned into a werewolf and couldn't be trusted not to hurt Orion. The werewolf was completely uncontrollable. Sirius could only stay in the house because he was an Animagus (someone who could transform at will into an animal). That excuse worked for a few years but when Orion had successfully become an Animagus, his monthly visits to Hogwarts remained.

"It's not that I don't trust you, son," Sirius had told him. "It's just something I don't want to you see until you're older. Moony's transformation is extremely painful and you know how much he hates us feeling sorry for him. When you're older, we'll ask Moony what he thinks, all right?"

Moony was Remus' nickname from when he had attended Hogwarts. Sirius and Remus had formed a group with their friends, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew called the Marauders. They had been the pranksters that everyone loved to laugh with and dreaded being a victim of. Sirius, James and Peter had become Animagi in their fifth year to help Remus through his monthly transformations. Sirius was a large black dog named Padfoot, James was a stag called Prongs and Peter had been a rat called Wormtail. Sirius and Remus hadn't told Orion much of their time at Hogwarts with the Marauders. Mentioning James and Peter was still extremely painful for them. They had been betrayed by Peter and shunned by James. In their minds, there were only two members left of the Marauders.

In the Black household, Orion liked to think of himself as normal but truthfully, he was anything but. At the age of six, Orion began having problems with accidental magic forcing Sirius and Remus to begin his magical education earlier than expected. He received a temporary wand from Dumbledore and immediately tried out everything he could. His education continued at Hogwarts where students taught him charms, spells and transfiguration they learned in their lessons. In his early visits, Orion had taken an instant liking to the Weasley brothers and his second cousin Nymphadora Tonks. Bill and Charlie Weasley treated Orion like a little brother. Charlie let Orion participate in Quidditch practices (the most popular sport in the wizarding world) and Bill let Orion 'help' with his Prefect and even Head Boy duties when Orion had been eight-years-old.

When Bill left Hogwarts, Orion formed a friendship with a Hufflepuff named Cedric Diggory. Both of them had a love for Quidditch and knew what it was like to be an only child. Orion still spent time with Charlie but instead of spending all of his time with Gryffindors, he alternated with the Hufflepuffs. As much as he loved the Gryffindors, Orion knew the house was probably the most biased. To Gryffindors, Slytherins were evil, Ravenclaws were bookworms and Hufflepuffs were pushovers. Orion didn't agree. To him, Hufflepuffs were extremely nice and understanding, Ravenclaws kept to themselves and Slytherins believed that the world was out to get them.

Out of the faculty at Hogwarts, Orion was closest to Professor Dumbledore, obviously, followed by Professor McGonagall (Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration teacher) and Professor Flitwick (Head of Ravenclaw House and Charms teacher). Professor Sprout, the Herboloby teacher, was the Head of Hufflepuff house so Orion knew her from his nights in the Hufflepuff dorms. All of the teachers were extremely nice and understanding except for Professor Snape, the Head of Slytherin and Potions teacher. Professor Snape had strongly disliked Orion the moment he started coming to Hogwarts. For a while, Orion avoided Professor Snape and had even begun reading Potions books out of fear that Snape would treat him as bad as everyone claimed. The day finally came when Orion accompanied Cedric to a Potions class. Professor Snape had grudgingly allowed Orion to stay but only if Orion worked on his own potion. Orion jumped at the chance and successfully created a Swelling Solution. Professor Snape reluctantly admitted that Orion had potential and from then on simply ignored Orion unless Orion sought Professor Snape out.

As the years passed, Orion saw many of his friends at Hogwarts graduate and move on while making new friends. The Weasley twins were only two years older than him and strongly reminded him of his father. Fred and George Weasley were pranksters at heart, doing whatever they could for a laugh. Although Orion never participated in the pranks pulled, he never did anything to stop them. Orion still participated in Quidditch practices for the Gryffindor team and had become an impressive Seeker. He had learned a lot from Charlie and had managed to mix that with his own style of flying. Oliver Wood, Charlie's replacement as Team Captain had told Orion that if he had been a student, he would be on the team. Unfortunately, Orion would have to wait until he was twelve for the opportunity since first year students weren't allowed to be on Quidditch teams.

The morning Orion received his very own Hogwarts acceptance letter seemed to arrive too quickly for the majority of the occupants in the Black Manor. For the past week, Orion had woken extremely early to check for the morning post in hope to find his Hogwarts letter. In the wizarding world, post wasn't delivered by a person but by owl. It wasn't the most advanced way to deliver post but it was the way it was done.

For the seventh morning in a row, Orion jumped out of bed at the crack of dawn, rushed down the staircase and into the kitchen only to see that there was a tawny owl standing on the kitchen table. The owl was holding an envelope made of yellowish parchment in it's beak as it stared at Orion. Taking a closer look, Orion could make out the emerald green ink on the envelope. The letter was indeed addressed to him.

Tentatively, Orion reached out towards the owl and shakily took the letter. He stared at the address with a smile on his face as the owl flew out of the kitchen.

Mr. O. Black

West Wing

12 Grimmauld Place

London

Orion ran his fingers over the address. He couldn't believe it. After waiting so long, his Hogwarts letter had finally arrived. With a shaky hand, Orion broke the purple Hogwarts seal that contained the coat of arms with a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding the large letter 'H'. One animal for each of the Hogwarts houses. The lion for Gryffindor, the eagle for Ravenclaw, the badger for Hufflepuff, and the snake for Slytherin. He pulled out the letter and smiled as he read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Orion couldn't contain his excitement anymore and took off running out of the kitchen, up the staircase, through the dimly lit hallway until he reached his destination. He opened the large door with a forceful push, hurried into the dark room and jumped on the large soft bed, nearly landing on the body of the person who slept there. A tired groan was all Orion received in response but it wasn't surprising. Sirius Black could sleep through anything.

"Dad!" Orion said excitedly as he tried to shake Sirius awake. "Dad, wake up! It came! It finally came!"

Sirius turned his head and slowly opened his eyes. For a few seconds, he only blinked at Orion before groaning and covering his face with his hand. "It's early Ori," he said groggily. "What have I told you about getting me up before Uncle Moony?"

Orion grinned. His father's motto had always been torment Uncle Moony as much as possible, especially when it was early in the morning. "But you said Moony needs his rest because—"

A hand quickly covered Orion's mouth, silencing him. "I know what I said, kiddo," Sirius said as he sat up, "but we both know how sensitive Moony is about his age." Orion opened his mouth but Sirius silenced him with a 'you know I'm right' look. "Now, let's see your letter."

Orion handed over his Hogwarts letter and impatiently waited as Sirius read through everything. Even though Orion had been going to Hogwarts once a month, it was clear that Sirius was still hesitant to send his only son away, even to a place as safe as Hogwarts. Orion had never spent any longer than a week away from Sirius in the past and that had been when Remus had taken Orion with him to Bulgaria. This was months away with only letters passing between them. It was a lot to as from an overprotective parent such as Sirius.

"Are you sure you want to go, Ori?" Sirius asked protectively. "You know there's nothing wrong with home schooling, right?"

Orion stared at his father as if he had grown another head. "Dad, all my friends are at Hogwarts," he said pleadingly. "You went to Hogwarts. Moony went to Hogwarts. How can I not go?"

Sirius let out a sigh before pulling his son into his arms. "I know you want to go, son," he said softly. "I just can't believe it's time for you to go already. It seems like only yesterday we moved into the old place and became a family. You were so little—"

"—Dad!" Orion protested as he freed himself from Sirius. "If you start talking about how cute I was…"

Sirius grinned. "Well, you were cute," he said ruffling Orion's hair, "and it's not surprising. You look exactly like me." Orion rolled his eyes and flopped down beside Sirius, burying his face in the cold pillow. Sirius took the opportunity to pull the bedcovers up and tuck his son in. "How about we catch a few hours of sleep before we pull a prank on Moony? Today's my day off so we can do anything you want."

Orion's head immediately popped up. "Anything?" he asked hopefully with a large smile on his face. "Can we go to Diagon Alley and get everything for school? Everything I need at least? Moony said the book lists rarely change except for the Defense Against the Dark Arts text."

Sirius let out a sigh as he brushed the fringe out of Orion's eyes, revealing a lightning bolt scar. "I think I need to spend more time at home," he said seriously. "Moony clearly has had too much influence over you." Orion opened his mouth to protest. "I know you want to learn as much as you can about magic," Sirius said with a smile, "but do you want to be completely bored when you go to Hogwarts? No one else is going to know as much as you know."

Orion shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be able to help those who are struggling then," he said. "I'm already reading and practicing third year material, Dad. If Moony wasn't so determined on teaching history, I would probably be half-way through fourth year."

Sirius scowled as he put Orion's letter on the bedside table. "There's more to life than studying, kiddo," he said as he lay back down. "Moony just wants to help you out because the History of Magic teacher is a bit boring. I doubt you will be able to stay awake in that class let alone learn anything. Now, get some sleep. We can talk about this more later."

Orion couldn't help smiling as he buried his face into his pillow and listened to his father's breathing as he slowly drifted off into oblivion. Sure, life at Black Manor wouldn't be considered normal for most people but for Orion, he couldn't imagine life any other way.

* * *

"_You do know you're completely overreacting, Padfoot. Orion has been going to Hogwarts for years and nothing has happened to him. What are you really afraid of?"_

"_I can't lose him, Moony. What if they see him and try to take him away from me?"_

"_We've talked to Dumbledore about this. They have no claim to him. No one is going to award custody to someone who's turned their back on a child for six years. As long as we keep Orion out of the house during the full moon, there is no legal reason why he can't stay with us. Accept that. We need to prepare Orion for what he will have to face, Sirius. He's a Gryffindor through and through but some of his abilities—"_

"—_will be kept secret. Orion knows not to say anything and he knows how to avoid that from happening again."_

"_You can't keep avoiding everything, Sirius. Sooner or later we will have to talk to Dumbledore."_

"_Dumbledore already knows enough. Orion is my son. I will decide what we do and do not tell people!"_

Orion turned his head towards the voices with a soft groan escaping his lips. The voices instantly silenced as a hand started rubbing his back gently. Slowly, Orion pulled himself to full consciousness and opened his eyes to see his father smiling at him. Looking over his shoulder, Orion smiled sleepily at his amused uncle. Both men were still in their nightclothes and looked like they were hiding something. Orion had seen those looks before. They usually appeared when the past and the Potters were discussed.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Remus said candidly. "So how does it feel to finally be accepted to Hogwarts?"

Orion grinned happily. "It's a dream come true," he said excitedly. "Now I can work to become a Prefect like you, Uncle Moony, and maybe even Head Boy."

Sirius groaned as he buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe it," he said mournfully. "My own son is becoming a Ravenclaw. He's turning away from my legacy."

Orion and Remus rolled their eyes at Sirius' feeble attempt at pressuring Orion into becoming a prankster. It had been a well known fact for years that Orion was not the prankster type. He also knew how everything worked at Hogwarts. Pranksters rarely became Prefects for the very reason that Prefects were supposed to instill discipline. For Orion, becoming a Prefect and Head Boy would help in applying to be an Auror, just like his father.

"It could be worse, Sirius," Remus said in an amused voice. "Orion could choose to turn away from the magical world and live as a Muggle."

Sirius looked at Remus, horrified. "Don't you even joke about that," he said quietly. "You know—"

"—yes, I do," Remus said just as softly.

Orion rolled his eyes again as he crawled out of bed. He hated when his father and uncle spoke in that tone. It usually meant that they had entered an 'adults only' conversation. Orion knew that his father and uncle had secrets. He also knew most of those secrets concerned him and his unique adoption. It was almost like there was something that happened before Orion became a Black that his father and uncle feared.

But what could it be?

It wasn't Orion's ability to speak to snakes even though Orion had been instructed never to use it in front of people. Parseltounge was considered a dark ability in the wizarding world. The Dark Lord Voldemort had been the last known Parselmouth which only added to the fear of it. There was so much darkness with the Black name already. Orion wasn't about to add to it because of an ability he never asked for.

"Orion, perhaps you should send a letter to your grandfather and let him know you'll be attending Hogwarts in September," Remus said gently although there was a hint of urgency in his voice. "I also believe we could take that trip to Diagon Alley today, if you still want to go."

Orion ran out of the room, all thoughts of secrets pushed to the far end of his mind. He had learned long ago that it was pointless to dwell on something that would never change. Sirius and Remus would always have secrets whether it concerned Sirius' job, the past, or Orion's safety. That was just the way it was at Black Manor. Perhaps that was why Orion was so eager to go to Hogwarts. His past visits to Hogwarts had always been fun, enlightening and free of secrets. He was allowed to ask questions and expect a truthful answer no matter what.

* * *

A/N: Well, there's chapter 1 of my new series. Let me know what you think 


	2. Diagon Alley

Chapter 2

Diagon Alley

Wizarding transportation was certainly nothing like anything else. There was the floo network which allowed a witch or wizard to travel from fireplace to fireplace. It was the most common form of travel for those with children but it certainly left one on the queasy side. It was recommended to keep one's eyes closed while traveling this way and concentrate on anything other than the spinning sensation and the roaring in your ears.

Another form of transportation was by port key which was an object charmed to transport someone or a group of people to a desired location. It was probably the safest way of travel but was rarely used since it was regulated by the Ministry of Magic. All that was felt for this mode of transportation was as though a hook behind your navel suddenly pulled you forward into a howl of wind and swirling color…until your feet were slammed into the ground.

The final mode of transportation was Apparition. This method allowed a witch or wizard to vanish from one spot and appear in another. Anyone who wanted to Apparate had to gain a license which was only given once one turned seventeen. Apparition was certainly the quickest form of transportation but with it came risks of splinching if the Apparition wasn't done properly. Splinching involved leaving a part of your body behind which could only be fixed by someone from the Ministry.

Side-along Apparition took a while to get used to which was the only form of Apparition Orion had experienced. This type of Apparition was simply what the name implied. A licensed wizard held onto a witch or wizard and pulled them along to the destination. Side-along Apparition was recommended for witches and wizards who had recently received their license since it required more concentration to insure that neither body splinched. Apparating felt like being pushed through an extremely small rubber tube only for a moment but it was still extremely uncomfortable.

Then there was Sirius' favorite mode of transportation: his motorbike that was charmed (illegally) to fly. It was Sirius' pride and joy although Remus said otherwise. Some of Orion's first memories had been riding on the motorbike at night in his father's arms while learning about the constellations. One of the first had been the 'Sirius' star which Orion always looked for when his father worked late into the night. In some strange way, the simple act of staring at the star was calming for Orion.

Side-along Apparition was the transportation of choice this afternoon for the Black family with Remus following them. They appeared in an alley near The Leaky Cauldron, a tiny, grubby-looking pub and inn that was charmed to go unnoticed to Muggles (non-magic folk). The atmosphere was normally pleasant and the food was actually quite good. Today, however, Sirius, Remus and Orion would be simply walking through the pub and out into a small, walled courtyard.

Sirius grinned at Orion before touching the right block three times with his wand and stepped back. The brick he had touched quivered before a small hole appeared in the middle of it. It grew wider and wider until a large archway had formed, revealing a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. _Diagon_ _Alley._ Orion could barely hold in his excitement as he hurried through the archway and pulled out his school list. There were shops for everything a witch or wizard could possibly need. Orion had been to Diagon Alley plenty of times but it just seemed so different now. He was picking up his very own school supplies to be used at Hogwarts!

"What should we hit first?" Sirius asked thoughtfully.

Orion grinned up at his father. "Gringotts, Dad," he said instantly. "That's where we always go first."

Remus let out a groan. "I think I'll sit that one out," he said as he snatched Orion's list out of Orion's hands. He glanced over it quickly before nodding and handing it back. "I'll meet you two in Flourish and Blotts. I'll see what books I can cover for the ones you already have, Orion."

"Really?" Orion asked eagerly, nearly jumping up and down on the balls of his feet. "Oh! Can you pick out a good Defense book? And Charms book? And maybe a thorough Transfiguration book? I've been having problems trying to—"

"Remus!" Sirius scolded as he ushered Orion towards Gringott's Bank. "Stop poisoning my son with that! He already spends too much time studying as it is!"

Remus grinned. "Orion was poisoned long ago, Sirius," he said good-naturedly. "You've just been in denial until now. See you soon."

Sirius shook his head, trying to hide the smile on his face as Remus headed towards Flourish and Blotts, disappearing in the large crowd. "Stay close to me, son," he said as he started the journey towards Gringott's. "So, any thoughts of what you want to do for your birthday?"

Orion shrugged his shoulders as they walked past Eeylops Owl Emporium. "Can Neville come over?" he asked hopefully. "I talked to Moony about it but he said—"

"—I'll have to ask Alice and Frank, Ori," Sirius answered in an amused tone. "It is his birthday too, you know."

Orion nodded. The Longbottom family had been another of the many families affected by Voldemort. After Voldemort's defeat, a group of Death Eaters sought out the Longbottoms to find out what happened. Frank and Alice Longbottom had been tortured for nearly ten minutes before help had arrived in the form of Sirius and other members of the Order of the Phoenix. Alice had recovered in no time but Frank hadn't been as fortunate. He had suffered from nerve damage which forced him to retire from the Aurors and need a cane to walk. The Longbottoms preferred their privacy but couldn't deny the friendship formed between their son, Neville, and Orion. Neville was the only close friend Orion had that was actually his own age.

They reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Orion followed Sirius through silver doors and into a vast marble hall. Goblins with their swarthy, clever faces, pointed beards along with very long fingers and feet were sitting on high stools sitting behind a long counter. Sirius walked up to a free goblin at the counter and pulled a tiny golden key out of his pocket. "Black family vault, please," he said in a business-like tone.

The goblin looked at the key closely before nodding. "That seems to be in order," he said. "I will have someone take you down to your vault. Griphook!"

Sirius and Orion followed the goblin that arrived towards one of the doors leading off the hall. Beyond the door was a narrow stone passageway that was lit with flaming torches. It took all of Orion's willpower not to glance down the steep edge that rested just beyond the little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook let out a whistle and waited as a small cart rushed towards them. It came to an abrupt halt, allowing everyone to climb in and grab on as it took off again.

Orion closed his eyes as they hurtled through the twisting passages. Intense cold air struck his face as the cart sharply dived for a split second before leveling out and coming to a stop in front small door in the passage wall. Orion remained in the cart as Sirius rose to his feet and stepped out of the cart. Griphook unlocked the door and stepped aside for Sirius to enter. It didn't take long for Sirius to fill his money bag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts. In the wizarding world, twenty-nine Knuts equaled one Sickle and seventeen Sickles equaled one Galleon. It was a strange setup but Remus had always said that it would cause too much hassle to change it.

The cart ride back was just as nauseating. It took Orion a bit to regain his equilibrium but once he did his attention was focused completely on his supply list.

_HOGWARTS_ _SCHOOL_ _of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY UNIFORM_

_First-year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_

_COURSE BOOKS_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

_OTHER EQUIPMENT_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set of glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope set_

_1 brass scales_

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS_

"Come on, Ori," Sirius said as he rested a hand on Orion's shoulder. "Robes first and then we'll meet Moony. That should give him enough time to have your study schedule planned for the next three years."

Orion grinned as they walked towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He purchased robes from Madam Malkin in the past for Ministry functions and had learned quickly the only way to make the process painless was to simply let her do what she needed to do in silence. Madam Malkin was a short, rather cheerful witch that (like many) enjoyed 'talking' to Orion's father. Remus had told Orion that he would understand when he was older while Sirius had avoided the topic completely.

The moment they entered they were greeted by an enthusiastic Madam Malkin dressed in mauve. "Oh, the Black boys," she said with a smile. "I was hoping I would see you two today. Here for your Hogwarts robes, Orion?" Orion nodded. "Very good. You know where to go."

Orion walked to the back of the shop and stepped up on a footstool. He remained completely still while Madam Malkin slipped a long robe over his head. As she began to pin the robe to the right length, Orion saw Sirius in the mirror leaning against the wall with an amused look on his face. Orion stuck his tongue out at his father only to have Sirius repeat the action at him and begin making faces in an attempt to make Orion laugh.

"All done, dear," Madam Malkin announced just as Orion was about to lose it. Sirius immediately stopped making ridiculous faces and smiled. "Anything else I can do for you two today?"

"That'll be all," Sirius said as Orion carefully took off the robe. "I'm sure we'll see you soon. Orion seems to be growing like a weed."

Before Orion knew it, they were out of the shop and on their way to Flourish and Blotts. He hurried into the store and instantly found Remus with a stack of books in his arms talking to Frank and Alice Longbottom. Frank was tall with short dark hair and a long face that could be incredibly stern when he wanted it to be. Alice, on the other hand was shorter with a round and friendly face that she had passed down to Neville.

Orion rushed over to them and instantly began taking the books from Remus' tired arms. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom," he said politely. "How are you today?"

The Longbottoms glanced at each other, a knowing smile appearing on their faces. "We are just fine, Orion," Mr. Longbottom said in an amused tone. "Remus already spoke to us and we have no problem with Neville spending the day with you as long as you spend the upcoming full moon with us."

"Deal," Orion said happily then glanced around for Neville. "He still works in your greenhouse, right?"

"Every day, dear," Mrs. Longbottom said kindly. "Herbology is certainly Neville's strongest subject. I would suggest something that doesn't need a lot of attention since he will be at Hogwarts for the majority of the year."

"Thanks Aunt Alice," Orion said appreciatively. "I'll see what I can find."

"Alice, Frank," Sirius said with a nod as he came up behind Orion. "It's been a while."

Mrs. Longbottom smiled. "Too long, Sirius," she said. "Have you seen—"

"—no," Sirius interrupted. "I haven't and I don't plan on it. They made their choice long ago."

Orion rolled his eyes in annoyance but remained silent. This was another 'adult moment' that he knew better than to interrupt. The Longbottoms had always been kind and sympathetic towards Sirius' situation being a single parent. In many ways, Mrs. Longbottom was the only sort of 'mother' figure that Orion knew.

"Orion!"

Orion turned and grinned as Neville nearly lost his balance and plowed Orion over. Neville had always been a bit on the clumsy side. The round faced boy was also incredibly shy, unless he was with Orion. Orion and Neville were alike in many ways. Neither of them liked being the center of attention or pranking people. The only major difference was that Orion loved Qudditch and Neville couldn't fly on a broom no matter what he tried.

"I'm okay!" Neville announced as he regained his balance causing everyone to laugh. "So, are you ready to checkout? I can't wait to get my wand!"

"Neville," Mrs. Longbottom scolded gently. "Orion just arrived. Have a little patience as we can all go to Ollivander's together."

Orion cast a quick, hopeful look at Remus and then Sirius. "That's everything for this year, Ori," Remus said with a smile. "Why don't you and Padfoot buy your books? We'll wait for you outside."

It didn't take long for Orion's books to be purchased and shrunk to a more manageable size. Exiting the store, Orion was immediately pulled towards a narrow and shabby shop by Neville. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. In the dusty window, a single wand lay on a faded purple cushion.

As they entered the store, a tinkling bell could be heard throughout the entire shop. Sirius and Mrs. Longbottom had followed them in while Mr. Longbottom and Remus remained outside. It was a tiny place with a single, spindly chair. There were thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly all the way up to the ceiling.

"Good afternoon," a voice said softly, causing both Orion and Neville to jump in surprise. Standing before them was an old man with wide, pale eyes. "Mr. Black and Mr. Longbottom. I thought I would be seeing you soon. I can see your parents in the both of you…such differences in wands and personality. This shall be a challenge."

Orion and Neville shared an uncomfortable look as Ollivander turned his attention to Sirius but remained silent. After a tense moment, Ollivander returned his attention to Orion and Neville. "You first, Mr. Longbottom," Ollivander said as he pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Right, sir," Neville said nervously.

"Hold out your arm," Ollivander instructed and the tape measure came to life, measuring from shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and around his head. "It is important to find you exact match, Mr. Longbottom. No two wands are the same just as you will never reach your potential with any other wand than your ideal wand." Ollivander turned towards the piles of boxes. "That will do."

The tape measure dropped to the floor. Orion and Neville watched as Ollivander pulled out a box and opened it. "Oak and unicorn hair, Mr. Longbottom," Ollivander said as he handed the wand over. "Give it a wave."

Neville raised his arm but before he could wave the wand, Ollivander pulled it out of his hand. The process repeated for nearly a dozen wands. Orion could tell that Neville was beginning to get nervous and was relieved when Neville finally found his wand that shot a rainbow of sparks out from the end of it. Neville's wand was cherry and unicorn hair, twelve inches.

Orion was next and thankfully his turn wasn't as long as Neville's. Ollivander had a general idea of the types of wand Orion needed. After a handful of wands, Ollivander pulled out a box from a pile in the far end of the store. He seemed to take great care in opening the box and removing the wand. Orion cautiously reached out for the wand and instantly felt warmth the moment the wand touched his hand. Wrapping his fingers around the thin piece of wood, Orion closed his eyes, raised the wand above his head and shot out red and gold sparks into the air.

"Oh, bravo!" Ollivander cried as he clapped his hands. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches. Nice and supple. "Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well…how curious…how very curious…"

Orion opened his eyes and glanced at Ollivander nervously. "Curious?" he asked. "What's curious, sir?"

Ollivander stared at Orion. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Black," he said evenly. "_Every single wand._ It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand gave another feather—just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother belongs to none other than He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Mrs. Longbottom gasped. Neville stared at Orion with wide eyes. Sirius stepped forward and wrapped a protective arm around Orion before ushering him and Neville out of the shop. Orion was in a state of shock. He didn't want _another_ thing that connected him to Voldemort, someone so evil that the majority of the wizarding world didn't have the courage to say his name. They had to call him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who.

Remus moved into Orion's line of sight. "This changes nothing, Ori," he said sincerely. "We knew you would need a powerful core in your wand. A phoenix feather makes perfect logical sense. Don't get yourself worked up over it. It's only a problem if you believe it's a problem."

Orion reluctantly nodded. That was easier said than done but he wasn't about to worry Neville. "So what's next?" he asked as he pocketed his new wand.

Remus smiled as he ruffled Orion's hair. "Well, we still have to stop at the Apothecary, Eeylops Owl Emporium, pick up your cauldrons, and perhaps stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies if we have time," he said with a wink.

"Well, I think Remus and I can handle the Apothecary and the cauldrons," Mrs. Longbottom said cheerfully as she glanced over Neville's list. "That will give you two plenty of time to find the right owl for you."

"Alice," Mr. Longbottom warned while leaning heavily on his cane. "I thought we were going to let Neville chose what pet he wanted."

"An owl could be useful, Dad," Neville said with a shrug. "It wouldn't hurt to look. If I don't see anything I like then I won't get anything."

They separated. Mr. Longbottom and Sirius went with Orion and Neville to Eeylops Owl Emporium leaving Remus and Mrs. Longbottom to tend to the rest of the supplies. Entering the store, Orion immediately started looking around at all of the owls. There were Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and even Snowy owls. Some were hooting to each other while others were trying to sleep with their heads under their wings. Orion felt more of a pull towards the Snowy owls.

"See something you like, kiddo?" Sirius asked coming up from behind.

Orion looked up at his father and nodded before pointing to the center snowy owl that was staring at them. "What do you think?" he asked.

Sirius grinned. "A white owl for the Black family?" he retorted. "If that's what you want." Orion nodded eagerly. Sirius chuckled and walked up to the counter. He pointed out the owl Orion had picked out along with everything else needed to an owl including a cage and owl treats.

Orion took the opportunity to look around for Neville and found him talking to Mr. Longbottom by a row of Brown owls. It was then that Orion noticed how tired Mr. Longbottom looked. His breathing was slightly quicker than normal and he was leaning backwards against the wall for support. He was smiling at Neville but Orion could tell the smile was somewhat strained. Mr. Longbottom's condition was another one of those things that no one brought up and tried not to notice.

"Orion," Sirius called out, snapping Orion out of his thoughts. Sirius handed over the large cage that held the beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. "Be careful with her. The owner said she is a feisty one, like someone else I know."

Orion stuck his tongue out at Sirius and had his hair ruffled in return. He returned his attention to Neville and Mr. Longbottom to see them walking out of the store empty handed. Before Orion could comment, Sirius ushered him out of the store where Remus and the Longbottoms were waiting. The sunlight made Mr. Longbottom look even more exhausted. Orion watched sympathetically as Remus and Mrs. Longbottom helped him to a nearby bench. Sometime life just wasn't fair.

"I think we should call it a day," Mrs. Longbottom said as she cast a glance at Neville who nodded in agreement.

"I'm fine, Alice," Mr. Longbottom insisted. "Give me a few minutes and I'll be able to last another few hours—"

"—but I don't think you'll want to, Frank," Remus said as he stared down Diagon Alley. "It seems that everyone has decided to bring their children here today."

Everyone turned to follow Remus' gaze and instantly spotted a family of four that were drawing a lot of attention. The father of the group was tall and lean with spectacles and messy black hair. The mother was about a head shorter than the man with long red hair and a protective hand resting on a shoulder of each child, a son and a daughter. They both looked exactly like their father except that the daughter who appeared to be two years younger than her brother had long black hair pulled back at the nape of her neck.

The Potter family had arrived to Diagon Alley.

Orion looked up at his father nervously and saw the enthusiastic Sirius Black fade away to the Auror façade that revealed no emotion whatsoever. It was the façade Sirius always used to hide his pain. "Dad?" Orion asked nervously. "Let's go home. First years aren't allowed to play Quidditch so we can skip Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"I think it's time for all of us to leave," Mr. Longbottom said as he slowly rose to his feet. "I have a feeling reporters will be here shortly making it even more crowded."

The group of six immediately moved towards the Leaky Cauldron. Their pace was slow to accommodate Mr. Longbottom but at least they were moving in the right direction. Orion cautiously glanced over his shoulder and saw the Potters entering Flourish and Blott's allowing him to let out a sigh of relief. He knew they wouldn't be able to avoid the Potters forever but someday in the future was certainly a better option than today.

What Orion didn't see was Mrs. Potter hesitating before she entered the store the moment she caught a glimpse of Sirius Black and the little boy who looked so much like him. If everyone's attention hadn't been on the-boy-who-lived, someone would have noticed the pained look in her eyes before entering the store.

* * *

A/N: Okay, just so everyone knows now, this isn't a Potter bashing story or a twin vs twin story. This is simply a story about bad choices made and the consequences that go with them. I promise I will explain what happened the night the Potter's abandoned 'Orion' but it won't be for some time. Please be patient.


	3. The Hogwarts Express

Chapter 3

The Hogwarts Express

The next month passed quickly for Orion Black. July 31st had been a joint birthday celebration for the Blacks and the Longbottoms, proving how different Orion and Neville were. The majority of Neville's presents centered on his love of Herbology with a few poking fun at his clumsiness and forgetfulness, something that Neville was well aware of and took in stride as long as he was around people he knew extremely well. Orion's presents, on the other hand, had centered on his love for dueling, Quidditch and photography.

One of Orion's greatest fears had always been waking up and not remembering his family like he had when he was five. To ease the fear, Sirius and Remus started taking pictures and creating photo albums so Orion would always have something to look back at. As Orion got older, he started taking the pictures. It actually was quite handy when Sirius and Remus pranked each other and needed proof for the ideal blackmail opportunity. He wasn't obsessive with taking pictures anymore but he did like being able to grab the occasional candid shot. That was why he loved the specially made camera his father had given him for his birthday. It more portable than normal magical cameras which meant that Orion would be able to carry it around in his schoolbag without anyone else knowing.

As promised, Orion had stayed at the Longbottom's for the full moon although Orion and Neville had spent the majority of the time going through what they should and shouldn't bring to Hogwarts. They had also skimmed through their school books, especially Potions since Orion had revealed how charming Professor Snape was. Potions wasn't a subject Neville enjoyed which meant having a teacher like Snape would make it all the more unbearable.

In his remaining free time, Orion had managed to nearly finish the third year material which meant he would be able to begin the fourth year material while at Hogwarts. He wouldn't be able to go at his normal pace but some progress was better than none at all. For the first few years at Hogwarts, theory was emphasized especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was believed that a student needed to understand the background of everything before attempting the spells. Orion had finally reached the point where spells, jinxes and curses were focused on. He wasn't about to stop now.

The final day of August had arrived and Orion was once again repacking his trunk while his owl, Hedwig, watched from her self proclaimed perch on Orion's headboard. It hadn't taken long for Orion to accept that Hedwig had a Gryffindorish personality. She was very strong willed and extremely proud. Orion didn't know if she could really understand him but he confided in her nonetheless. Hedwig was a good listener and always seemed to give her opinion whether it was an encouraging hoot, an annoyed bristle of her feathers, a cautious blink, or an affectionate nip. To Orion, Hedwig wasn't just a pet. She was a friend.

A quick knock on the doorframe was the only warning Orion had before Sirius entered. "Packing again, Ori?" Sirius asked in amusement as he sat down on Orion's bed. "You do realize we can send you anything you forget, right?"

Orion nodded as he double checked the books he had packed. He had his first year books for classes and homework, his third year books to finish up, his fourth year books to being, and the extra books Remus had told him to begin reading. Luckily they were shrunk so they didn't take up all of his trunk space. "I don't know how to explain it, Dad," Orion said with a shrug. "I just feel like I'm missing something, something that I'll need."

Sirius glanced into Orion's trunk thoughtfully for a long moment. "Clothes…check, camera…check, film…check, books…too many of those, potions supplies…yuck, quills…check, parchment…check, ink…check, photo books…check, owl treats…check, spending money…check, wand…check, wand holster…check, school bag…check…Where are your journals, Ori?" Sirius asked as his eyes met Orion's. "You use them more than your text books."

Orion gasped as he hurried over to his desk and began looking through his drawers. He had a journal for every subject where he kept notes and useful reminders for everything Remus had taught him. He quickly found them in the middle drawer and immediately packed them in his trunk. "See?" Orion said with a grin. "I knew I was forgetting something."

Sirius returned the grin and ruffled Orion's hair. "Since you are now packed…again, how about spending some time with your dear ol' Dad until I have to go to work?" he offered.

Orion stared at his father in silence. Even though the comments about Orion staying home and stopped, Orion knew that the desire was still there. "It's going to be okay, Dad," he said with a reassuring smile. "I'll send you loads of letters. Besides, you may now be able to go out without having to worry about me."

"Orion," Sirius warned. "We discussed this—"

"—no," Orion interrupted. "You tried to convince yourself that you couldn't handle seeing anyone because of your responsibilities. Dad, you've given up so much for me. If you hadn't adopted me, I know you would probably be married with children of your own—"

"—don't you even think that, Ori," Sirius said quickly as he pulled Orion into a fierce embrace. "If I hadn't adopted you I would probably be a bloody mess. I know Moony has told you plenty of stories about how I was before I became your father."

Orion nodded as he returned the embrace. The Marauder Chronicles had been the most commonly used bedtime stories when Orion had been younger. Remus had always stuck some moral into the story because of something stupid Sirius had done. 'Always think before you act', 'never judge a book by its cover' and 'never test anything without having an antidote on hand' were the most used lessons.

It was clear that each Black had their own fears about how life would change after tomorrow. Orion wanted his father to be like any other single man while Sirius wanted more time with his son. For six years the Black household had fallen into a routine that would now be shattered. It was actually quite frightening if you thought about it. _At least Dad will have Uncle Remus here to help him out and I'll have Neville, Cedric, Fred and George to help me out at Hogwarts._

The entire household was up extremely early the following morning. Orion had his trunk and Hedwig's cage down by the front door before the clock struck eight. Hedwig was surprisingly perched on Orion's shoulder, her golden eyes glaring at the cage she would have to be confined in for the long journey by train to Hogwarts. Orion had heard stories about the Hogwarts Express from Bill and Charlie Weasley. They had told him about the passageway magically hidden between platforms nine and ten at Kings Cross Station. Orion could barely hold in his excitement at the thought of actually being able to see it with his own eyes.

The clock had just begun to strike ten when the flames in the fireplace roared to life and turned green before Cedric Diggory stepped out with his trunk by his side. The tall, brown haired, grey eyed boy would be entering his third year even though his fourteenth birthday was next month. At Hogwarts, a student had to be eleven before September first in order to enter. Even though Cedric was almost three years older than Orion, they were only two years apart in schooling.

"Why hello there, Cedric," Remus said cheerfully as he shook Cedric's hand. "I trust you've already said goodbye to your parents?"

Cedric nodded. "Words were said, tears were shed," he said nonchalantly. "You know the drill, Mr. Lupin."

Remus chuckled. "All too well," he said. "We've had quite a bit of that here ever since Orion got his letter."

Cedric's gaze shifted to Orion. "Don't tell me you're scared of going, little brother," he said with a grin. "You've been wanting this for years."

Orion glared at Cedric playfully. "I'm not the one that's been shedding tears, big brother," he shot back. "Moony's talking about my dad."

Cedric smirked as he ruffled Orion's hair. "Of course, Ori," he said sympathetically. "How silly of me to think anything different."

Orion enfolded his arms across his chest as his eyes narrowed. "You are an annoying git, did you know that?" he asked.

Cedric smiled proudly. "Why yes I do but thanks for pointing it out," he said. "Now, who is this lovely little bird on your shoulder?"

Hedwig puffed out her chest proudly causing everyone to laugh. Orion introduced his owl and wasn't surprised when she flew to Cedric's shoulder and affectionately nipped his ear. She had done the same to Neville. The topic quickly changed to Quidditch until Sirius arrived from work to take them to the train station a few minutes later. It was a quick twenty minute walk which was made easier when Sirius shrunk Orion's and Cedric's trunks. Hedwig in her cage was really the only item that needed to be carried.

The walk was quiet one since nothing could be said about the magical world that would draw the attention of the non-magical people around them. They reached King's Cross at half past ten and immediately made their way towards platforms nine and ten. Orion was nearly bouncing with excitement as Cedric walked towards the dividing barrier between the platforms and vanished into the solid wall.

A hand rested on Orion's shoulder. "Come on, kiddo," Sirius said with a grin. "I'll go with you."

Orion nodded and started walking towards the barrier. He was trapped between excitement and nervousness. He had never walked through a wall before and had to wonder of he would feel anything. He doubted it would hurt since so many people walked through it without complaint every year. Closing his eyes, Orion continued walking, waiting for some sort of sensation to alert him that he had walked through the barrier but it never came. The hand on his shoulder squeezed gently causing Orion to open his eyes and see a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a platform packed with people. Over his head there was a sign that read 'Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock'. Orion grinned. _This is bloody brilliant._

Remus followed them through the barrier and in no time they were walking through the chattering crowd towards the train. Smoke from the engine rose into the air while owls of every type hooted to one another. Orion saw Cedric entering the train and hurried to follow. One of the first things Cedric had told Orion was arriving early to secure a compartment was the best way to avoid spending a long train ride with unwanted company.

"Orion!"

Orion turned to see Neville running towards him. "Hey Neville!" he said as he glanced around. "Where are your parents?"

"Left already," Neville said as he grabbed Orion's arm and ushered him into the train. "Mum had to work and Dad had a meeting with someone at the Ministry. I've already found a compartment right in the middle of the train. Cedric said that was the best place, right?"

Orion nodded and followed Neville to the compartment which happened to be next to the one that Cedric picked out. "Hello neighbors," Cedric said cheerfully. "Now, I expect you two to behave or I may have to file a complaint."

"Practice what you preach, big brother," Orion said dryly before entering the compartment with Sirius and Remus following him. As Orion carefully set Hedwig down, Sirius enlarged the trunks and tucked Orion's away in the corner of the compartment before leaving with Cedric's.

Remus took the opportunity to quickly pull Orion into a fierce embrace. "You take care of yourself, cub, and remember what I told you," he said softly. "Just because we don't get along with the Potters doesn't mean you can't be friendly to Hayden. He's probably going to need people who will treat him like a normal person and not a celebrity."

"I'll try, Moony," Orion said as he returned the embrace. He knew that Remus had a point but he wasn't about to abandon his current friends to hang around with the-boy-who-lived. He would try to keep his dislike of the Potters under control but he wouldn't promise to any more than that.

Sirius re-entered the compartment and pulled Orion into another embrace the moment Remus let go. "I'm always here if you need me, kiddo," he said sincerely. "Have fun and remember there's more to Hogwarts than books."

Orion nodded as he wrapped his arms around his father. For some reason he couldn't think of anything to say as he felt his eyes begin to sting. It was one thing to know that you would be leaving your father and uncle but another to actually do it. Orion wasn't sure he wanted to let go now. Moony and Padfoot had always been there to console after a nightmare or when Orion had become too frustrated with his lessons. Now there would be no one since no one would really understand the quirks that made Orion who he was.

"I love you Dad," Orion whispered causing Sirius to let out a shaky breath.

"Back at you, Ori," Sirius said sincerely. "Always and forever."

Orion watched as Sirius and Remus left the platform just as a family of redheads arrived. He quickly noticed the identical twins amongst the group and smiled. The Weasleys had arrived. Orion couldn't wait to find out what Fred and George had planned for this year. _At least I know I don't have to worry about boredom._ Orion was about to go greet them when he saw another family come through the barrier.

The Potters.

Orion sat down across from Neville, trying to hold back a number of choice words that entered his head. No matter how hard he tried, Orion couldn't ignore the anger he felt towards the Potter family for what they had done to his father. Orion didn't know all the details but he knew that James Potter had said some rather hurtful words the day he took his family into seclusion, words that still caused moments of self doubt for Sirius.

"So," Neville began uncomfortably, "how about a game of Exploding Snap? Or maybe we should study up some more for Potions…just in case Professor Snape picks on us."

Orion smiled as he rose to his feet and went over to his trunk. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to warn Neville. As carefully as possible, Orion pulled his potions book and his potions journal out of his trunk only to jump as the compartment door opened. Stumbling, Orion turned around to see a girl with bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth standing in the doorway. Her gaze shifted from Neville to Orion as she smiled nervously.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" the girl asked quickly.

Orion glanced at Neville before returning his gaze to the girl. "Not at all," he said as he set his book and journal down before moving to her side and helping her carry her trunk into the compartment. Neville quickly joined them and together they were able to stuff it into the far corner. "I'm Orion Black," he added then gestured at Neville, "and that's Neville Longbottom."

"Please to meet you," the girl said quickly as she sat down by the window. "I'm Hermione Granger. Are you parents magical?"

"My entire family is magical," Neville said quietly as he sat down across from Hermione.

"My Dad and my uncle are magical," Orion said as he sat down beside Neville. "I take it you're Muggle born."

Hermione nodded as a smile appeared on her face. "Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough," she said in one breath.

Orion and Neville shared a glance. They hadn't gone that far and doubted anyone would appreciate someone who did. "Hermione, I can understand you're excited but you really should calm down," Orion said carefully. "There are a few things about the wizarding world that aren't really talked about. You see, some people don't approve of Muggle-borns. How much do you know about Voldemort?"

Hermione stared at Orion guardedly. "Just what I've read in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_," she said. "I know that You-Know-Who believed Muggle-borns to be unworthy of entering the wizarding world and many of the old magical families agreed with him."

"That's about it in a nut shell," Orion agreed as the whistle blew and the train began to move. "I know you want to prove yourself, Hermione. I just think you should be cautious so you don't come off as a know-it-all. Not too many purebloods would accept a Muggle-born knowing more about their world than they do."

Hermione rubbed her hands together nervously as her gaze fell. "So you're saying I should act dumb?" she asked.

"Not at all!" Orion protested instantly. "Knowledge is a good thing to have, you just don't have to advertise it all the time, you know?"

"Orion's a brain too, Hermione," Neville added earning a glare from Orion. "You are and you know it, Ori. Who else would already have journals of notes to help you remember everything you've read on every subject?"

"You do?" Hermione asked eagerly, her nervousness instantly forgotten. "Maybe we can share notes! It would be rather interesting to see everything from your point of view, Orion!"

Orion shrugged helplessly before collecting his Potions book and journal. _Rome_ _wasn't built in a day._ "We were just going to review some Potions fundamentals if you want to join us," he offered. "Professor Snape isn't the most patient of teachers, especially towards first years."

"How do you know the teachers already?" asked Hermione.

Orion explained the best he could without revealing information Hermione really didn't need to know. The majority of the wizarding world feared werewolves and certainly didn't approve of a child living with one. The only reason no one said anything about Remus was because the famous Auror Sirius Black vouched for him. Hermione also didn't need to know just how close Orion was to the Headmaster. In fact, no one needed to know about that.

Meeting someone who already had such a knowledge of Hogwarts was all Hermione needed to ask question after question about the school. They talked about classes, the teachers, the castle, the dorms, the library, the houses and the sorting although Orion refused to tell Hermione and Neville what the sorting entailed. "It's not anything dangerous or scary," Orion said reassuringly. "They just want to make sure you're with people who share similar qualities."

The train was well out of London now, leaving fields of full of cows and sheep as the scenery. Before another topic could begin, the compartment door opened again to reveal identical red haired twins. "Orion!" one of them exclaimed happily. "We've been looking for you!"

"At first we thought you had missed the train," added the other. "I mean, what other explanation could there be for you not finding your partners in crime?"

Orion grinned then turned his attention to his year mates. "Hermione, Neville, say hello to Fred and George Weasley," he said. "They're third years in Gryffindor and are well known for their pranks focused on their brother, Percy (a fifth year Gryffindor), and the Slytherin house."

Fred and George bowed appreciatively. "Thank you, thank you," said George. "Now, if you'll excuse us—"

"—we need to find a clever way to send our dear mother a toilet seat and to deflate our dear brother's head," finished Fred. "Tah tah!"

Orion laughed as the Weasleys twins left. It wasn't long before Cedric checked in with a few of his friends. Neville and Hermione were surprisingly quiet throughout the visit and until a smiling, dimpled woman arrived at half past twelve with a cart filled with treats. "Anything off the cart, dears?" she asked.

Hermione declined the offer while Orion and Neville jumped to their feet and hurried to the cart in the corridor. Orion grabbed a few Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron Cakes while Neville selected a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and a few Licorice Wands. They pain the woman the amount owed and reentered their compartment.

"Not hungry, Hermione?" Neville asked curiously.

"My parents are dentists," Hermione answered as she opened Orion's Potions journal and started to flip through it. "I've never been able to handle a lot of sugar."

Orion and Neville shared a glance before shrugging their shoulders. How could you be a kid and not like a lot of sugar? It was one of the unwritten rules, at least according to Sirius. _Oh well._ Finding no point to argue, Orion unwrapped a Chocolate Frog, grabbed the charmed frog shaped piece of chocolate before it could jump away and ate it. Out of the corner of his eye, Orion noticed that Hermione was staring at him curiously over the top of his journal.

"Do you want us to explain wizarding candy to you?" asked Orion. "We're used to it but I suppose it can seem strange to a Muggle-born." Hermione nodded as she set the journal down. "Okay, this is a Chocolate Frog," he said as he handed over an unwrapped one. "Inside there's a charmed chocolate frog and a card with a famous witch or wizard on it." Orion handed over the card from his opened Chocolate Frog and noticed that he had gotten Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione's eyes widened as she saw the image of a man's face with half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair. It was Albus Dumbledore. "He moves!" she exclaimed as Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Of course he moves," Neville said as he popped a Bertie Bott Bean in his mouth and earned a jab in the ribs from Orion.

Hermione flipped the card over and quickly read everything written on the small card. "Oh, this is so exciting!" she exclaimed.

"You can keep it if you want," Orion offered. "I already have four of him." Hermione smiled appreciatively and handed back the unopened Chocolate Frog. "The Pumpkin Pasties are pretty self explanatory," Orion continued as he handed over one of the pasties. "You'll find that pumpkin is used a lot in the wizarding world. Pumpkin juice will be served tonight and is really good. It sort of tastes like pumpkin pie." Hermione handed the treat back and Orion handed her a Cauldron Cake. "Cauldron Cakes are also self explanatory. They're just shaped like a Cauldron."

When Hermione handed the cake back, her gaze shifted Orion's forehead. "Not to be rude or anything," she began uncertainly, "but your scar—"

Orion subconsciously covered his scar with his fringe. "It's unusual, I know," he said with a shrug. "I've had it for as long as I can remember."

Hermione accepted the explanation or lack thereof and turned to Neville. "Well," Neville said uncomfortably before handing over the box of the Bertie Bott's Beans he had been eating, "those are Bertie Blott's Every Flavor Beans and they do mean _every_ flavor." Hermione's eyes widened. "There's the traditional flavors like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade then you can get spinach and liver and tripe."

Hermione cringed as she handed the box back. "That's disgusting," she said. "How can you eat them?"

"After a while you learn which ones to avoid," Neville said with a grin and handed over one of his Licorice Wands. "The Licorice Wands are basically what the name says. Licorice shaped like a wand. The red wands are certainly better than the black."

Hermione handed the wand back with a smile on her face. "Thanks," she said. "I really appreciate it."

A comfortable silence filled the room as the countryside consisted more of wild fields rather than grazed land. There were also woods, twisting rivers and dark green hills. Soon the topic of sorting was brought up again but this time it was what house they would be sorted into. Neville was certain he would be sorted into Hufflepuff even though he wanted to be in Gryffindor like his parents. Hermione was torn between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Orion preferred Gryffindor but wouldn't have any complaints about being sorted into Hufflepuff since he would be with his 'older brother'.

Neville then brought up the latest news that someone had broken into Gringotts but didn't steal anything. Apparently, the desired vault had already been emptied. That struck Orion as odd. It was almost like the owner of the vault had expected the robbery. What could have been hidden inside that even Gringotts wasn't secure enough to protect it?

Before long, darkness started to fall and the three occupants changed into their long black robes. As they looked at each other, Orion couldn't deny the multiplying butterflies in his stomach. Soon they would be at Hogwarts and soon they would be sorted into their houses. What if he was sorted into Slytherin? _Dad would never forgive me. He's worked so hard separating himself from his Slytherin family and the darkness that surrounds them._

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave you luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Neville started fidgeting nervously as Orion quickly returned his Potions book and journal to his trunk along with the leftover sweets. With a final glance, Neville and Hermione followed Orion out into the corridor where everyone else was already standing. The train began to slow and Orion was certain he was going to be sick. Why did he have to eat so many sweets when he knew this was coming? Once again knowing was absolutely nothing like and actually experiencing.

The train finally stopped and the pushing began. Orion felt two sets of hands grip onto his robe as they reached the door and the tiny dark platform. The cold night air hit him like a cold shower, instantly snapping his mind to attention. A lantern came bobbing over their heads as a familiar voice deafened all of the chatter. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Orion instantly followed the voice, taking Neville and Hermione along for the ride. Rubeus Hagrid was the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts who also happened to be larger than any man Orion knew. Hagrid's face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy main of hair and a wild beard. The only feature on his face that could be seen was his eyes that glinted like black beetles. Hagrid was probably one of the most misunderstood members of the Hogwarts staff. The man wasn't one of the smartest but he was certainly one of the friendliest.

"Firs' years this way!" Hagrid repeated loudly then noticed Orion. "Hello, Orion! Hello Neville! C'mon, follow me—any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Orion, Neville and Hermione joined the other first years in carefully following Hagrid down a steep and narrow path. The only source of light was Hagrid's lantern. No one spoke as people slipped and stumbled into each other.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

Everyone let out a loud 'oooh!' as the narrow path opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. On top of a high mountain on the other side was a vast castle with many turrets and towers, its windows sparkling in the starry sky.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called out as he motioned to the fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Orion, Neville and Hermione moved to one of the first boats with a red haired girl following them. Orion thought he recognized her but couldn't place where he could have seen her before. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid before stepping into his own boat. "Right then—FORWARD!"

The fleet of boats started to move forward, gliding across the lake. Everyone remained silent, staring at their final destination. Orion glanced over at Neville who was nearly shaking and over his shoulder at Hermione who was actually speechless.

"Heads down!" Hagrid yelled as the first group of boats reached the cliff. Everyone bowed their heads as the boats carried them through a curtain of ivy hiding a wide open in the face of the cliff. They were carried through a dark tunnel until they reached some sort of underground harbor and their boats came to a stop against the rocky shore. Hagrid led the way up a passageway in the rock, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a fight of stone steps only to stop in front of a huge, oak door.

"Everyone here?" Hagrid asked. Receiving a few shaky nods, Hagrid raised his large fist and knocked three times on the door.

Almost immediately the door swung open to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald green robes. Her face was stern, her posture was stiff. She certainly looked like someone you didn't want to cross but Orion couldn't stop himself from smiling. He knew the real Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration teacher. She was incredibly strict in class but she also had a compassionate side that many rarely saw.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.

"Thank you, Hagrid," McGonagall said with a nod. "I will take it from here." She pulled the door wide and stepped aside so all of the students could file in.

The Entrance Hall was so big that an entire house could fit inside it. Flaming torches lit the stone walls, the ceiling was too high to even make out and there was an immaculate marble staircase facing them that led to the upper floors. The students quietly followed Professor McGonagall across the stone floor, the sounds of muffled voices could be heard from a doorway to the right which Orion knew led to the Great Hall.

Professor McGonagall led the first years into small, empty chamber next to the entrance to the Great Hall and waited as they crowded in. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she announced. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."

Professor McGonagall left the chamber and everyone instantly tried to straight up their robes and hair.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" a quiet voice asked from behind Orion.

Orion looked over his shoulder and froze. Standing behind him was Hayden Potter. He was about a head shorter than Orion with extremely messy dark hair and a pair of black framed glasses somewhat blocking his hazel eyes. He did look exactly like the pictures Orion's father and uncle had of a younger James Potter.

"Some sort of test, I think," a tall red haired boy with a large nose said. "Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Orion let out a slow breath as he turned his gaze away. The redhead was clearly a Weasley…Ronald, if Orion remembered correctly, the sixth and final son for the Weasleys. Only a daughter remained at home. Glancing around, Orion noticed that several people actually believed Ron could be right and bit back the urge to correct him. Fred _was _joking and most likely found it hilarious that Ron was actually considering that the teachers at Hogwarts would even consider forcing first year students to face something that would endanger them.

Several people screamed as about twenty pearly-white and slightly transparent ghosts streamed through the back wall and gliding across the room arguing with each other. The ghost that looked like a fat little monk spoke first. "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance—"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" a ghost wearing a ruff and tights interrupted. "He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost—I say, what are you all doing here?"

Orion smiled at the ghost known as Nearly Headless Nick. "We're waiting to be sorted, Sir Nicholas," he said earning many incredulous stares.

The ghost returned the smile. "Is that so?" he asked. "Well, good luck to all of you! I hope to see you in Gryffindor."

"And I hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," Professor McGonagall said sharply as she stepped into the room. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." One by one, the ghosts floated through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line everyone and follow me."

Letting out a shaky breath, Orion got in line behind Hermione with Neville right behind him. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Orion kept his gaze forward but noticed that everyone else was looking around. The Great Hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles floating in midair over four long tables that were nearly full with students. On the tables were glittering golden plates and goblets just waiting to be filled with food. The ceiling was a velvety black, dotted with stars since it was charmed to look like the sky outside.

At the front of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Orion instantly noticed Professor Dumbledore sitting in the center. It took everyone ounce of self control for Orion not to wave at his honorary Grandfather and simply follow Professor McGonagall. They finally came to a halt in front of the teacher's table, facing the other students. Orion instantly picked out Cedric at the Hufflepuff table and the twins at the Gryffindor table.

Professor McGonagall set a four-legged stool in front of the first years then set a pointed wizard's hat on top of the stool. The hat was patched, frayed and extremely dirty. Orion waited patiently for a few seconds until the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The entire hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became still once again. All of the first years around Orion seemed to relax at the realization that there would be no troll to deal with.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment in her hands. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbot, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blond pigtails staggered out of the line, put on the hat that fell over her eyes and sat down. There was a moment's pause before the hat shouted: "Hufflepuff!" Cedric's table cheered and clapped as Hannah set the hat down on the stool and hurried over to the Hufflepuff table.

"Black, Orion!" Professor McGonagall said over the noise.

The entire hall quickly fell silent as Orion cautiously stepped out of line, approached the stool, put the hat on and sat down. The hat blocked his line of sight which was probably a good thing. Orion didn't think he would be able to handle seeing everyone staring at him.

"Hmmm," a voice said in his ear. "Interesting, very interesting. I see courage, loyalty, a good mind, the desire to learn, and secrets, plenty of secrets, even some hidden from yourself. I've never seen such a well balanced mind, Mr. Black. I see you wish to be in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. Very good choices for you. Ravenclaw would quench your thirst for books but I see you wish to keep your knowledge a secret. Slytherin is certainly out of the question. Not many would request Hufflepuff as their house but I believe you would do best in—Gryffindor!"

The last word was shouted to the entire hall. Orion pulled off the hat as the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers. The entire Quidditch team was pounding on the table as the Weasley twins were shouting, "We've got Orion! We've got Orion!" Orion set the hat down on the stool and hurried over to his house table. Everyone was slapping him on the back. When the commotion finally calmed down, Orion sat down and turned towards the students who still needed to be sorted. He could see the High Table completely now and noticed Hagrid, tiny Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, and Professor Snape but he didn't recognize the thin, nervous man wearing a large purple turban beside Snape. _Must be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher._

Susan Bones, the red-haired girl Orion had recognized was sorted into Hufflepuff. Terry Boot was the first student sorted into Ravenclaw followed by Mandy Brocklehurst. Lavender Brown was sorted into Gryffindor, Millicent Bulstrode became a Slytherin, Vincent Crabbe also joined Slytherin, Justin Finch-Fletchley went to Hufflepuff, Seamus Finnigan was sorted into Gryffindor, and then it was Hermione's turn. Orion watched as she hurried to the stool, put on the hat and sat down. It was only a moment before the hat proclaimed her a Gryffindor.

Hermione hurried to the Gryffindor table, smiling at Orion. Orion smiled back and moved so he could sit beside her. It wasn't long before Neville was also sorted into Gryffindor, much to his and Orion's relief. Orion's attention was diverted when Draco Malfoy was sorted into Slytherins with his frends, Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Draco had a pale, pointed face and looked exactly like his father. The Malfoys were one of the pureblood families that escaped prosecution for their work with Voldemort. They were also a family that despised Muggles and Muggle-borns along with being related to the Blacks by marriage.

It was becoming hard to concentrate on the sorting. Orion's stomach was rumbling in hunger and there weren't many people left to sort. Several were sorted into Slytherin, twin girls were separated, one going into Ravenclaw and the other sorted into Gryffindor. Perks was sorted into Ravenclaw and then Hayden Potter was called. Whispers filled the hall as everyone moved in their seats for a better look. It seemed that only Orion and Neville had no interest at staring at the-boy-who-lived.

Hayden's sorting wasn't necessarily long but it was longer than most. When the hat shouted "Gryffindor", the Gryffindor table once again erupted in cheers. Hayden shakily pulled off the hat and joined his new house. Orion didn't know what to think. Perhaps this was why Remus warned him about giving Hayden Potter a chance. Sirius Black and James Potter had been in Gryffindor. There certainly was a possibility that their children would also be in Gryffindor.

There were only four people left now. Dean Thomas, a tall, dark skinned boy, was sorted into Gryffindor, Lisa Turpin was sorted into Ravenclaw, Ron was sorted into Gryffindor and finally Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin. As the applause died away for Blaise, Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll, before setting the stool and sorting hat off to far side, behind the High Table. When she took her spot, Dumbledore rose to his feet, smiling at the students with his arms opened wide.

"Welcome," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Welcome to a new year at Hgowarts! Before we begin out banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down as everyone clapped and cheered.

Orion held back a laugh as dishes filled with food appeared right in front of him. There was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops, lamb chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and peppermint humbugs. Orion didn't need an invitation and started piling his plate with food. Hogwarts food was always the best.

"That does look good," Nearly Headless Nick said sadly as he watched. Everyone around stared up at the ghost, no one knowing what exactly to say. "I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years. I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. Allow me to introduce myself, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service."

"I know who you are!" Ron exclaimed. "My brothers told me about you—you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

The ghost let out an annoyed huff. "I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy—"

"Nearly Headless?" Seamus Finnigan interrupted. "How can you be nearly headless?"

Orion's gaze fell to his plate as Sir Nicholas proved just how his nickname came to be. He was the victim of a failed beheading. "So," Sir Nicholas said as he flipped his head back into place, "new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year! Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost."

Everyone looked over at the Slytherin table and saw the Bloody Baron sitting next to Draco with his blank staring eyes, gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. "How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus.

"I've never asked," said Sir Nicholas.

It wasn't long before everyone had eaten as much as they could and the remaining food faded from the plates, leaving them as clean as they were before. Deserts appeared a moment later. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor imaginable, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs, jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, and rice pudding. Orion didn't think he could eat much more so he simply took a small portion of strawberry ice cream and covered it with strawberries.

"I'm half-and-half," Seamus said bluntly. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mum didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

"I'm a Muggle-born," said Dean.

"Me too," said Hermione.

"I'm a pureblood," Neville said quietly.

"My mum's a Muggle-born," said Hayden. "My dad's a pureblood."

Everyone's gaze turned to Orion who shifted his own gaze to his dessert. He really didn't think it was any of their business what his make up was. He had been raised as a pureblood wizard dedicated to the light side. That's what was important, right?

"Orion?" asked Hermione curiously. "I know you said your dad and uncle were magical but what about your mum?"

"I don't have a mother," Orion said as he kept his gaze on his ice cream.

Hermione gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Orion," she said sympathetically. "When did she die?"

Orion slowly raised his gaze to meet hers and noticed that everyone around them was paying close attention. "I don't know if she did," he said truthfully. "I'm adopted. My birth parents couldn't take care of me so my dad adopted me and gave me a potion to make me his actual son."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You can do that?" she asked in amazement. "Wow!"

Orion's gaze shifted to the High Table. He wanted nothing more than for Professor Dumbledore to end the meal so he could escape the stares the Gryffindor first years were currently giving him. Professor Dumbledore was currently talking to Professor McGonagall and appeared to be in no hurry to finish. Orion's gaze shifted to the new Defense teacher and then to Professor Snape. Their eyes met and out of nowhere a sharp, hot pain shot across Orion's forehead. Wincing, Orion quickly closed his eyes, grabbed his head and waited for the second it took the pain to fade.

"You all right, Ori?" asked Neville.

Orion rubbed his forehead subconsciously as he nodded. "I'm fine," he said. "Just a small headache."

When the desserts finally disappeared, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet again and waited as all conversation quickly ceased. "Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," he said. "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils…and a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's gaze shifted towards the Weasley twins for a moment. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Orion's eyes widened. Dumbledore would never joke about something like that which meant there was actually something extremely dangerous inside Hogwarts being held on the third floor.

"And now," Dumbledore continued, "bedtime. Off you trot!"

Percy Weasley immediately called out for the Gryffindor first years to follow him. Orion noticed the silver badge on his robes and knew that Fred and George's worst fears and become a reality. Their older brother was a Prefect. Orion obediently followed even though he knew a quicker way than what Percy was showing them. They passed portraits that were moving, whispering and pointing. They walked up stairs, through doorways that were hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries only to once again climb up more stairs before coming to a sudden halt.

In front of them, a bundle of walking sticks were floating in midair. Percy stepped forward and the sticks stared throwing themselves at him. "Peeves, a poltergeist" Percy muttered to the first years. "Peeves—show yourself!" A loud sound like air being let out of a balloon was the only response. "Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"

There was a pop followed by the appearance of a little man with dark eyes and a wide mouth. He was floating cross-legged in the air, holding onto the walking sticks. "Oooooooh!" he said with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped towards them and they all ducked.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" yelled Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks above Orion and Neville. Orion quickly pulled Neville out of the way so that the sticks hit the floor as Peeves zoomed away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy as he began walking again, everyone following suit. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us Prefects. Here we are."

They were standing in front of a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she asked.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy. The Portrait immediately swung forward to reveal a round hold in the wall. Everyone followed Percy through it and stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room, a cozy round room full of squashy armchairs. Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. Hermione bid goodnight to Orion and Neville as they parted ways. They walked up a spiral staircase until they found their dorm. Six four-posters hung with deep, red velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up and were placed at the foot of the beds.

Orion walked over to his bed by the window and next to Neville's. Thankfully, Hayden and Ron's beds were across the room. Too tired to talk much, everyone pulled on their pajamas when they heard a soft tapping against the window. Orion peaked out and smiled at the sight of Hedwig standing on the ledge, waiting for him. He hurriedly opened the window, ducking as she flew in and landed on his bed.

"Hi Hedwig," Orion said as he sat down in front of her. "I take it you're here to take a letter to dad." Hedwig hooted and held out her leg. Orion moved to his trunk and pulled out some parchment, ink and a quill. He wrote a quick message to his father before turning to Neville. "Do you want to send a letter to your parents?"

Neville looked slightly uncomfortable. "Do you mind?" he asked.

Orion looked at Hedwig with a serious look on his face. "Are you, Hedwig, up for the challenge of making multiple stops in a single journey?" Hedwig puffed out her chest and hooted loudly. Orion was certain that if she had arms she would have saluted him. "Good girl," he said with a smile before handing his quill over to Neville who wrote a quick note to his parents. Orion attached his note to Hedwig's right leg followed by Neville attaching his to her left leg. Once everything was in place, Hedwig flew out into the night and everyone crawled into bed.

Orion was asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.

* * *

A/N: I know the 'Gryffindor' choice will probably become as a disappointment for some but it sort of needs to be this way. Neville and Hermione are going to have a large part in the series which would be harder to do if they weren't in the same house. Also, putting Orion in the same house as Hayden actually forces some sort of interaction between the two. 


	4. Family and Classmates

Chapter 4

Family and Classmates

Orion was up the moment sunlight struck his face the following morning. As quietly as possible, he woke Neville and the two of them changed in silence before hurrying out of the dorm for the Great Hall to receive their timetables. Hermione was already sitting at the Gryffindor Table with her face buried in a book when they arrived. They ate quickly and were finished just as Professor McGonagall started passing out the timetables. Eager to start the day, the three Gryffindors hurried to the Gryffindor Tower to grab the materials they would need for their first class.

Two facts were quickly realized at Hogwarts. Hayden's celebrity status meant that there were people crowding outside classrooms and doubling back to pass him again to catch a glimpse of him. It was obvious that Hayden really didn't like it but he also didn't say anything to make people stop. The other quickly learned fact was that if the first years wanted to arrive to their classes on time, they needed to follow Orion Black.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts and no two were the same. There wide ones, narrow ones, moving ones, and some with steps that vanished. Doors were also tricky. Some wouldn't open unless politely asked or were tickled in a specific place. There were also doors that weren't really doors at all. Orion had learned about all of tricks ages ago, allowing him just to concentrate on his classes.

Another thing that Orion had learned years ago was to avoid the caretaker, Argus Filch. He was a squib, a non-magical child born from magical parents. Filch also had an annoying scrawny, dust-colored cat, Mrs. Norris, who seemed to share his hatred towards the students. She could be seen patrolling the corridors, just waiting to see a rule broken to run off and find Filch.

The classes themselves were exactly what Orion expected them to be. They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight, memorizing the names of differed different stars and the movements of the planets. Herbology was three times a week out in the greenhouses and was probably the best hours of the week for Neville. After the first five minutes in History of Magic, Orion understood why Remus was so persistent in teaching the subject. Professor Binns was a positively boring ghost that had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire only to get up the following morning, leaving his body behind. Binns never paid any attention to the students which gave Orion the opportunity read through one of his books.

Professor McGonagall had probably been the strictest of the teachers. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

To prove her point, Professor McGonagall changed her desk into a pig and back again. Everyone was eager to try but unfortunately that sort of Transfiguration wouldn't be accomplished for a few years yet. They spent the majority of the class taking complicated notes and then given a match to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, Orion and Hermione were the only ones to accomplish the task.

Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Quirrell turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom had the stench of garlic to supposedly ward off a vampire he'd bet in Romania. The man spent most of the time stuttering which was a disappointment for Orion. He had actually been looking forward to the class.

Hermione had actually taken Orion's words to heart for classes. She didn't show off her knowledge but she also didn't hold back when it came time to actually cast spells. Orion and Hermione also jointly helped Neville but Hermione's strictly textbookish explanations tended to make Neville all the more confused. Neville needed to learn by doing and without worrying of everyone around him.

Friday had finally arrived but neither Orion nor Neville were excited about it. Their first class was double Potions with the Slytherins…with the Head of the Slytherin House as their teacher. None of the Gryffindors were expecting anything other than torture. Orion, Neville and Hermione had just sat down for breakfast when hundreds of owls suddenly streamed into the Great Hall for the morning mail. Orion had received the congratulatory letter from his father and uncle a few days ago and was surprised to see Hedwig among the owls again. She landed gracefully in front of his plate, dropping a note onto Orion's plate. Orion quickly tore it open and was surprised to see that the sender wasn't his father or uncle.

It was Hagrid.

_Dear Orion,_

_I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig._

_Hagrid_

Orion handed the letter over to Neville who read it and then handed it over to Hermione. She was slightly concerned about the loss of study time but eventually agreed. Orion quickly sent his reply with Hedwig, grabbed a few sausages and hurried out of the Great Hall to Potions class in the dungeons. It was certainly colder than the rest of the castle and the pickled animals floating in glass gars all around the walls added to the spookiness. Like all of the other teachers, Professor Snape began the class by taking the roll call. Snape had actually handled his contempt rather well until he reached the P's.

"Ah, yes," Snape said softly. "Hayden Potter. Our new celebrity." Several of the Slytherins sniggered. Snape quickly finished role then turned his black gaze to the students. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he said quietly. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death…if you aren't as big bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Silence filled the room. Orion remained completely still, not want to draw any of Professor Snape's attention. Out of the corner of his eye, Orion could see that Hermione was on the edge of her seat, desperately trying to hold in her eagerness. Neville, on the other hand, looked incredibly pale.

"Potter!" Snape barked suddenly, startling everyone. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Orion slowly grabbed his quill and noticed Hermione casting him a questioned glance. He discretely shook his head, hoping that she understood this wasn't the time to prove what you knew. Snape didn't care if Hayden or anyone else knew the answers. This was just to prove a point. Hermione seemed to have understood and picked up her own quill.

"I don't know, sir," Hayden said nervously.

Professor Snape's lips curled slightly. "Tut, tut," he said in a bored voice. "Fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

"I don't know, sir," Hayden said again.

Snape was clearly enjoying himself now. "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, did you Potter?" he asked his gaze slowly shifted to Orion. "Black, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Orion stared at Professor Snape in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. "Nothing, sir," Orion said, hoping that he sounded more confident than he felt. "They're the same plant."

Snape's gaze shifted back to Hayden. "Lucky for Gryffindor someone in your House actually reads, Potter," he said coolly. "For your information, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. Black is correct. Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, also going by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Silence filled the room as everyone scrambled for their quills and parchment. Snape's cold stare fell on Hayden once again, almost daring Hayden to do or say anything that would allow him to take points from Gryffindor. When Hayden remained silent, Snape returned to the front of the room. The class didn't improve for the majority of the Gryffindors. Their assignment for the remainder of the class was to mix up a simple potion to cure boils.

Orion was paired with Neville who had a tendency to shake every time Snape stalked past, criticizing everyone except Draco. It took every ounce of patience for Orion to keep Neville from melting the cauldron multiple times by adding an ingredient too early or in the wrong order. To say that Orion was relieved when the potion was finished was an understatement. He knew that he needed to do something to help Neville overcome the nervousness or it was going to be an extremely long year in Potions.

For Neville's sake, Orion and Neville were the first two out of the dungeons when the class ended. Hermione quickly caught up to them and gave Neville a sympathetic glance. No one knew what to say. Neville had never really handled pressure well. Orion had a feeling that it came from the fact that the Longbottom family (especially his Grandmother) actually thought Neville was a squib for a few years, destroying whatever confidence Neville had in himself.

It was nearly three in the afternoon when Orion, Neville and Hermione left the castle to walk across the grounds to the small wooden house Hagrid lived in on the edge of the forbidden forest. There was a crossbow and a pair of galoshes outside the front door. Orion cast Hermione and Neville an eager smile before knocking on the front door. Several loud barks nearly made the entire house shake before Hagrid yelled, "Back, Fang—back!"

The door opened a crack as Hagrid peaked to see who it was. "Hang on, Orion," he said. "Back, Fang." The door opened completely as Hagrid continued to push an enormous black boarhound backwards but as soon as the dog saw Orion, it was all over. Hagrid was pushed out of the way allowing the dog to tackle Orion. Hermione let out a scream in fright and quickly pulled out her wand.

"No Hermione!" Orion shouted quickly as he tried to push Fang off. "It's all right! Fang's just excited! That's enough, Fang!" Fang licked Orion's face one final time then stepped back, allowing Orion to sit up and wipe his wet face off on his robes. "See? Everything's all right."

There was only one room inside that seemed to serve as a small kitchen and a bed room. There were hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle holding boiling water over the open fire and a massive bed on the opposite side of the house as the kitchen table.

"Make yerselves at home," Hagrid said as he opened the back door and let Fang outside. "Sorry 'bout that. How was yer firs' week?"

They spent the next hour talking about anything they could think of over tea and rock cakes. The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that Hagrid made from scratch and certainly lived up to their name. One bite was all it took for Orion, Neville and Hermione to know their teeth wouldn't survive much more so they pocketed the rock cakes to avoid hurting Hagrid's feelings.

While Hagrid was telling Hermione and Neville about his pets, Orion noticed an article from the Daily Prophet lying under the tea cozy.

_GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

_Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day. "But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon._

The article had basically confirmed everything Neville had said but why had Hagrid kept the article? Hagrid tended to stay in his own little world that consisted of Hogwarts and the dangerous creatures he liked to call his pets. The only reason Hagrid would have kept the article was if it pertained to him. Had Hagrid been the one to empty the vault that day? If that was true, then did that mean that the contents of the vault were at Hogwarts? Was that why the third floor was forbidden?

Orion knew better than to question Hagrid. If his suspicions were true, then that meant Professor Dumbledore wanted to keep the items from the vault protected. Orion was curious but not overly so to disobey his grandfather's warning.

* * *

The following Thursday brought about the one thing Orion had been looking forward to and the one thing Neville had been dreading: Flying Lessons. Gryffindor would be pared with Slytherin, something that made many cringe. The last thing they wanted was to make a fool out of themselves with their rivals watching. Once the announcement had been made, Quidditch had become the most popular topic. Children from magical families told about their past experiences on a broom to anyone who would listen. Orion seemed to be the only one who didn't brag about already knowing how to fly. 

Hermione was probably just as nervous as Neville and resorted to her comfort zone: books. Orion had tried to tell her that flying couldn't be learned from a book, it had to be experienced but she wouldn't listen. Books hadn't let her down yet and, in her mind, never would. Orion just shook his head and returned his attention to _Standard Book of Spells (Grade 4)_ which he had just recently started. At least he tried.

Hedwig arrived at breakfast that morning with a letter from Sirius while a barn owl landed in front of Neville with a small package from his grandmother that ended up being a Rememberall, a glass ball the size of a large marble full of white smoke. Neville took it in his hand and the smoke turned red signifying that he had forgotten something. The problem with that was that Neville had no idea what he had forgotten.

While Neville was trying to remember, Draco Malfoy snatched the Remeberall as he was passing by. Orion was instantly on his feet with his wand in his hand. "Hand it over, Draco," Orion warned. "What would your father say when he hears that you're stealing?"

Draco scowled and dropped the Rememberall back on the table. "I was just looking at it," he said.

"Sure you were, cousin," Orion said dryly as he casually twirled his wand between his fingers. "You've looked. Now off you go."

Draco sneered at Orion before stalking off with Crabbe and Goyle following him. There was no doubt about it. Draco Malfoy was a bully and had already picked his two targets: Hayden Potter because of the celebrity status and Neville Longbottom because Neville wouldn't stand up for himself.

When three-thirty arrived, Orion, Neville, Hermione, and the other Gryffindors ventured down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and there was just enough breeze for the grass to sway back and forth. They walked down sloping lawns until they reached a flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds, far from the forbidden forest.

The Gryffindors joined the Slytherins who were already there waiting along with twenty-one broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Orion already knew from experience that the school brooms were old and tended to shake if flown too high. The Slytherins were standing along one row of brooms leaving the Gryffindors to line up behind the second row of brooms. Orion stood between Neville and Hermione on the far end, far from Draco and Hayden.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived a moment later. Her short, grey hair swayed in the wind as her yellow, hawk-like eyes stared at them. "Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." Everyone did as they were told. "Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'Up!'."

"Up!" everyone shouted.

Orion's broom immediately jumped into his hand but he had been one of the few to accomplish it on the first try. Hermione's had merely rolled over while Neville's remained still. "Don't be scared, Neville," Orion said reassuringly. "I promise it'll be all right."

Neville nodded as he let out a shaky breath and shouted, "Up" once again. This time his broom rose about a foot in the air before lowering back down. Neville let out more determined breath and called the broom again. This time it obeyed, flying up in to his hand. Neville shot Orion a proud smile which Orion returned.

The students were then instructed on how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end. Orion had to hold back a laugh when he heard Madam Hooch tell Draco that he had been mounting his broom wrong for years. When Madam Hooch passed Orion, a knowing smile graced her lips since she was well aware of where Orion's early Quidditch training came from.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you will kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle—three—two—"

But Neville was already starting to rise upwards. Orion tried to grab Neville's ankle but wasn't fast enough.

"Come back, boy!" Madam Hooch shouted.

Neville shot up like a cork flying out of a bottle. Without a second thought, Orion had his wand in hand and pointed it at Neville who had to be twenty feet in the air. He had promised Neville that everything would be all right and Orion always kept his promises. Neville looked positively pale as he slipped sideways off the broom. _Swish and flick_. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" Orion shouted.

Neville came to an abrupt halt about ten feet from the ground. As carefully as possible, Orion slowly lowered his wand causing Neville to slowly fall. Madam Hooch was at Neville's side immediately. The moment she had a hold of him, Orion released the spell and hurried to his friend's side with Hermione following him. Neville was shaking slightly but, other than that, he appeared to be uninjured.

"I suspect the broom reacted to your fear, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Hooch said as she ushered Neville away from the group with Orion and Hermione following them. "Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

Neville shook his head. "Is it okay if I…"

"I believe it would be best if you sat out for the remainder of the lesson, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Hooch said with an understanding smile on her face.

"I'll stay with Neville, Madam Hooch," Orion offered.

Madam Hooch's gaze shifted to Orion as she let out a sigh. "I had hoped your classmates would be able to see some truly talented flying from you, Mr. Black," she said with a touch of disappointment in her voice. "However, I agree that these lessons are unnecessary for you. Excellent spell work. Five points for Gryffindor."

As Madam Hooch turned away, Hermione looked torn on whether to follow or to stay. Orion discretely motioned for her to follow. Even though she was afraid, flying was something Hermione needed to try at least once, at least in Orion's opinion. It was certainly true that some witches and wizards just weren't fliers. Neville was one of them.

When Hermione rejoined the class, Orion sat down on the grass, waiting for Neville to do the same. It was clear that Neville's self confidence was at an all time low now. It seemed that the joking Neville that Orion had known for years was gone and Orion was at a loss on how to get him back.

"I'm sorry, Ori," Neville said as he sat down. "You must be so tired of saving me."

Orion looked at Neville incredulously. "You're my best friend," he said as if that explained everything. "We all have our fears—"

"—but yours don't overpower you like mine do," Neville interrupted miserably. "Let's face it. I just don't belong here."

"So you're giving up because the first two weeks are hard?" Orion asked. "Neville, you're not the only person who has a problem with Professor Snape. Everyone who's not in Slytherin hates him because he's so biased. As far as today, we both know you have a problem with heights. Anyone would if their uncle dropped them out of a window to check them for magic."

Neville let out a snort.

"Hayden!"

Orion and Neville quickly looked towards the class and saw Hayden flying after Draco. It looked like Draco was taunting Hayden with something in his hand. Madam Hooch yelled at Hayden and Draco to come back down but the two students didn't listen. Orion and Neville were on their feet as Draco threw the item in his hand and Hayden dived after it. Everyone seemed to stare in shocked silence as Hayden reached out and caught the object. With only feet separating him and the ground, Hayden pulled his broom straight and toppled gently onto the grass.

"HAYDEN POTTER!"

Orion cringed as Professor McGonagall made herself known, hurrying towards the crowd. Madam Hooch already had Draco by the arm and was reprimanding him. Hayden shakily rose to his feet and handed the object over to Hermione. Ron was instantly at Hayden's side but nothing they or anyone else could say would sway Professor McGonagall. She took Hayden back to the castle, leaving Madam Hooch to issue Draco's punishment.

It wasn't until Hermione joined them that Orion and Neville realized what the entire confrontation had been about. Neville had dropped his Rememberall in the fall and Draco wouldn't hand it over. Hayden had stepped in to defend Neville like any Gryffindor would do, without thinking of the consequences. It made Orion think. Perhaps Hayden Potter wasn't a complete git after all.

It wasn't until dinner time when Orion learned Hayden's fate from the Quidditch Captain, Oliver Wood. Instead of being punished, Hayden was rewarded by a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, much to Oliver's annoyance. Oliver had tried to push for tryouts to include all first years but Professor McGonagall had her mind made up. Hayden Potter was the ideal size for a Seeker and had a natural talent for flying.

To say that Orion was disappointed was an understatement. Now his hopes of being a part of the Quidditch Team were basically non-existent, unless Hayden gave up his spot. _But it was McGonagall's decision, not Hayden's. I can't blame Hayden for something he had no control over. Uncle Moony wouldn't let me._

"Having a last meal, Potter?" Draco asked snidely as he approached the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle behind him. "When are you getting the train back to your Mummy and Daddy?"

Orion glanced around and saw that Hayden and Ron were sitting close by. He hadn't even realized that they had arrived and mentally cursed himself. Hayden Potter was really starting to occupy his thoughts too much. His father had always told him to be aware of his surroundings and be prepared for anything. _Two weeks away from home and I'm forgetting everything._

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," Hayden said coolly. It was clear that an exchange of words was as far as this was going o go since the High Table was full of teachers. Neither Hayden nor Draco were willing to test their luck twice in one day.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Draco. "Tonight if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only—no contact."

Orion let out a frustrated sigh. This was one of those days he hated being related to the Malfoys. It gave the Blacks such a bad name. "Do you honestly like to hear yourself talk, Draco?" he asked. "We all know that you are nothing more than all talk and no bite, just like every other bully."

Draco glared at Orion angrily before returning his attention to Hayden. "Well, what do you say, Potter?" he asked through his teeth.

Hayden's gaze shifted to Orion for a brief moment. "I accept," he said quietly. "Ron will be my second, who's yours?"

Malfoy glaced at Crabbe and Goyle as if he was carefully considering his options. "Crabbe," he said at last. "Midnight, all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

As soon as Malfoy left, Orion looked directly at Hayden. "You know it's a trap, right?" he asked. "I meant what I said. Draco's nothing but talk. He'll find someway to get you into trouble if you go tonight."

Ron scowled at Orion. "Stop trying to boss us around, Orion," he said in annoyance. "We can handle Malfoy without your help."

"All right," Orion said with a shrug as he returned to his meal. "Don't blame me when you lose points for Gryffindor."

Hayden and Ron had no comeback for that.

* * *

A/N: Okay, just so everyone knows, I'm aware that Orion and Draco aren't actual cousins. Sirius and Narcissa are which makes them either first or second cousins. I never really understood how that all worked. They are family though which is the partial reason Draco doesn't push Orion like he does Hayden. Draco knows that Sirius has more pull in the Ministry than James Potter _and_ no one is treating Orion like a celebrity. Orion's popularity comes from being just like everyone else. 

Another note, for those of you who thought this story wouldn't follow the canon, I'm sorry. That's the type of writing I like to do. I like to take things and twist them to make them my own like I have done with the Midnight Series. I will say this though, the Unknown Relations series won't follow the canon as closely in the later books. I have some changes planned that will most likely make book five, six and seven impossible to shadow the canon. There will be some changes in the earlier books (especially Prisoner of Azkaban) because the changes I've made already require it. This series is my twist on a common used plot (Harry has a twin that is believed to be the boy/girl-who-lived) just like the Midnight Series was my twist on another common used plot (Harry is abused by the Dursleys).

A final note, unlike the Midnight Series, I will most likely give Orion a girlfriend in the later books. I already have one in mind and I will say now, you have been warned. I have received many reviews in the Midnight Series from people who claim they will stop reading if I give Harry a certain girlfriend _cough-_Ginny-_cough_. This is entertainment people. If I liked every aspect of the stories I read, I probably wouldn't be writing my own.

I won't be able to update either story for at least two weeks because of a family vacation. Hopefully I'll be able to get some writing time in on the plane.


	5. Halloween

Chapter 5

Halloween

Orion kept his comments to himself the following morning when he saw a tired but cheerful Hayden and Ron enter the Great Hall. They had obviously gone and found out for themselves that you could never trust a Malfoy to keep his word. Hermione's arrival a short time later was something Orion hadn't expected. She glared angrily at Hayden and Ron before sitting beside Orion and Neville.

"Please tell me you didn't follow them last night," Orion quietly pleaded with Hermione only to receive an annoyed glare in return. _Touchy subject_. Orion sighed as he looked down at his half eaten breakfast. "At least tell me nothing happened to you."

Hermione's anger faded slightly as she dished some eggs onto her plate. "You were right, Orion," she said quietly. "Malfoy didn't show. I tried to convince Hayden and Ron but they wouldn't listen. Filch showed up and nearly caught us. We ran and hid in a locked room…only to find out that there was a massive three-headed dog already in there, guarding a trap door."

Orion gagged on the spoonful of eggs he was eating. There was only one massive three-headed dog that he knew of but that dog tended to remain in the forbidden forest by Hagrid's Hut. What in the world was it doing in the castle and behind a locked door? Orion coughed as Neville slapped him on the back. Once the eggs finally slid down, Orion turned his attention back to Hermione. "A three-headed dog?" he asked cautiously. "Are you sure?"

Hermione nodded slowly, her gaze curious. "You don't seem very surprised," she said.

"Later," Orion muttered as he glanced around. If that dog was guarding the contents from the Gringotts vault then Dumbledore was seriously worried that whoever broke into the vault would try to break in here. Orion had met the dog a few times before while visiting Hagrid. The creature was as friendly as could be if it knew you but it could be down right ferocious once given an order. The dog was completely faithful to only one person: Hagrid. Dumbledore had every right to warn the students of Hogwarts to stay away.

Hermione and Neville had been shocked when Orion finally told them that the 'monster' was in fact a pet of Hagrid's and that its name was Fluffy. Orion had also revealed his suspicions, leading to why he felt Fluffy was currently residing in the castle rather than where he belonged. Neville and Hermione agreed that Orion's conclusions were possible but they didn't mean anything without the proof to back it up.

Of course that didn't mean that Orion, Neville and Hermione wouldn't do everything in their power to make sure Hayden and Ron didn't find out why Fluffy was hiding on the third floor. Their relief came a week later when six large screech owls brought a long, thin package for Hayden which ended up being the latest broom (a Nimbus 2000) from his parents. It caused another confrontation with Malfoy (which Orion wisely avoided) but most importantly diverted all of Hayden and Ron's attention to Quidditch.

With Quidditch practice three times a week, the days of October seemed to fly by. Orion, Hermione and Neville focused on schoolwork, recreational studies and discovering the mystery of the third floor while Hayden and Ron remained focused on the upcoming Quidditch game against Slytherin. The two groups had formed somewhat of a silent acceptance. If they left each other alone then there were no conflicts. Orion and Hermione had accepted that Hayden and Ron would simply have to make their own mistakes and hopefully smarten up after losing enough house points.

Orion woke excitedly to the delicious smells of baking pumpkin on Halloween morning. He always loved coming to Hogwarts for the holiday. There was always a fantastic feast and the decorations were truly magical. It was also that morning when the first year Charms class would finally start making objects fly, something many of the Gryffindors had asked about ever since they saw Orion save Neville during flying lessons.

Paired with Neville, Orion immediately moved to a secluded corner so Neville wouldn't be distracted. Hayden was paired with Seamus Finnigan while Hermione was paired with Ron. From the looks on their faces, everyone knew that Hermione and Ron weren't happy about the arrangement.

"Now, don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" Professor Flitwick squeaked from the pile of books he was standing on. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important too—never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Orion immediately performed the necessary wand movements over his feather as he quietly said, "_Wingardium_ _Leviosa_." The feather immediately rose in the air and hovered above his and Neville's head. "See, Neville? Now you try and remember to say _Win-gar-dium Levi-o-sa_."

Neville nodded, his eyes completely focused on the feather. He swished his wand and flicked it. "_Wingardium_ _Leviosa_," he said firmly. The feather slowly rose in the air, stopping at eye level. It wasn't as high as Orion's but it was certainly a good start for someone who didn't have much experience with the charm.

Orion let out a joyful cry, catching the attention of everyone else in the class.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick as he clapped happily. "Everyone see here, Mr. Black and Mr. Longbottom have done it! Ten points for Gryffindor!"

Neville's cheeks turned pink as his feather slowly lowered to the floor. Orion flicked his own wand causing his feather to descend also. "Neville, that was great!" Orion said quietly. "I didn't do nearly as well the first time I cast the charm."

Neville smiled proudly. "Really?" he asked then returned his attention to his feather. "Well, let's keep practicing then."

Unfortunately, not many others had the same amount of luck as Neville. Ron had quickly become extremely frustrated, shouting at his feather and waving his long arms like a windmill. Hermione had tried to correct him since he was indeed saying it wrong and had proven her point by demonstrating it for him but that only seemed to infuriate Ron more. The moment class ended, Ron had stormed out of the class leaving Hayden to catch up while Orion and Neville joined Hermione, a smile on each of their faces.

"That was fun," Neville said happily. "What's the next spell we can learn?"

Orion glanced over at Hermione. "I think we've created a monster," he said good-naturedly.

Hermione smiled thoughtfully. "How about _Alohamora_?" she asked.

"Simple, yet useful," Orion said with a nod. "How about tonight after the feast?"

"Ron, calm down," Hayden urged from further ahead. "It wasn't that bad."

"That bad?" Ron asked incredulously. "She's a nightmare, honestly. I don't know how Orion and Neville can stand her. At least Orion tries to be nice and not make you feel like a complete idiot. They must feel sorry for her since she doesn't have any other friends."

A shaky gasp escaped Hermione's lips. Orion managed to catch a look at Hermione's distraught face before she hurried off, knocking into Hayden as she passed. "Come on," Orion said to Neville as he picked up the pace. He reached Hayden and Ron in no time. "Congratulations," he said sarcastically. "It must make you feel so much better when you tear down someone who was trying to help you."

Ron opened his mouth but was silenced from a nudge by Hayden.

Orion shook his head in disgust. "Come on, Neville," he said, catching Neville's protective gaze. "We have a friend to find." Neville nodded firmly as they started the search.

Their first stop was the Gryffindor Tower and with the help of a sixth year girl, the learned that she wasn't in her dorm room. Their second stop was the library but she wasn't there either. They then began the slow process of searching the girls' bathrooms which was extremely embarrassing. They searched throughout their next class before finding her sitting in the corner of a bathroom with her face buried into her arms, crying. Neither Orion nor Neville knew what to say so they simply sat down on the floor and patiently waited for her to calm down so they could talk.

Hermione's cries slowly turned into sniffles as she finally looked up as nearly screamed at the sight of Orion and Neville sitting on the floor with her. Her eyes were extremely red as tears continued to fall. "What are you two doing here?" she demanded. "You're going to get into trouble!"

Orion shrugged his shoulders. "Then we get into trouble," he said obviously. "You're our friend, Hermione. Did you honestly think we would abandon you because of what Ron said? His only friend is Hayden! You have us." Orion smiled proudly. His father had always told him humor was normally the best medicine. "Personally, I think you got the better end of it all."

Neville laughed as Hermione weakly pushed Orion aside and stood up. "You're so full of yourself," Hermione said as she walked over to the sinks and looked into the mirror.

Orion stared at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "You're just figuring this out now?" he asked as he rose to his feet. "Hermione, I thought you saw it the moment we met on the train." His face turned serious. "All joking aside, you accepted us for who we were that day and we accepted you. I know I have a habit of being bossy—"

"—just like I have a habit of being skittish," Neville added, earning a cautious gaze from Orion and Hermione. "That's what my dad says. I know I'm not as smart as you two but you're still friends with me, right?"

"Of course," Hermione said instantly. "You're our friend no matter what."

Neville smiled. "Exactly," he said simply.

It took Hermione a moment to figure out what Neville actually meant. Orion was impressed. Neville had managed to say the most while actually saying the least. Perhaps being blunt was the best road to take after all. "So Hermione," Orion said as he walked approached and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Shall we return to the exciting life of classes or do you want to take the rest of the day off?"

Hermione stared at Orion as if he had grown another head. "Are you mad?" she asked as she pushed his arm away. "Miss classes? I can't believe you would even suggest that."

Neville handed Orion his school bag and Hermione her school books. "Then I suggest we hurry," he said glancing at his watch. "Lunch is almost over."

Without another word being said, Orion, Hermione and Neville hurried out of the bathroom and to the Gryffindor Tower to grab the necessary books. They made it to their class just in time and sat as far as they could from Ron and Hayden. For the remainder of the afternoon, Orion, Neville and Hermione went on as if Ron and Hayden didn't even exist and would continue to do so until Ron apologized for being such a prat.

All thoughts of Hayden and Ron were driven out of their minds, however, when they entered the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Live bats fluttered from the walls and ceilings while others swooped over the tables in low black clouds, causing the candles in the levitating carved pumpkins to waver. Mountains of food, candy and desserts appeared on the table as the feast began which everyone immediately grabbed for. Orion was about to reach for a baked potato when Hermione let out a frightened gasp.

"Oh no!" Hermione said in horror as she turned to Orion. "I forgot! I left your potions journal in the bathroom." She quickly moved out of her seat and stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Hermione!" Orion exclaimed as she rushed out of the Great Hall and let out a sigh. Grabbing a scone, Orion glanced at Neville and shook his head slowly. "We'll be right back. Save us some food." Neville nodded as Orion followed Hermione out of the Great Hall, nearly running into Professor Quirrell in the process. He ran to the bathroom as fast as he could, questioning Hermione's sanity with every step. How could you pass on the Halloween feast because of a journal which would most likely be there afterwards? _Isn't that what I'm doing?_

Orion ran into the bathroom and let out a sigh at the sight of Hermione picking up his journal that had been on the floor by the far U-bend. She turned to see him standing in the doorway and smiled sheepishly. Orion just shook his head and took a bite out of his scone. Filling his mouth with food was the only way to keep himself from making some sort of comment that would most likely get him in trouble.

"Sorry," Hermione said as she approached. "I just panicked. I know how much work you put into your journals—"

"—its fine, Hermione," Orion interrupted with a grin. "Let's just get back to the feast. Afterwards, we can talk about your priorities." Turning, Orion stepped into the hallway and was immediately bombarded by a foul stench. He let out a cough as he covered his nose with his hand. He had never smelt anything so disgusting in his entire life. It was almost like a mixture of his dad's old socks and a public loo that had never been cleaned.

"What is that?" Hermione asked in revulsion as she joined him.

A low grunting followed by the shuffling of gigantic feet filled their ears. Orion and Hermione froze with wide eyes before slowly turning to see something moving towards them in the distant shadows. In the blink of an eye, Orion had his wand in hand while stepping protectively in front of Hermione. Together, they slowly walked backwards, hoping against hope that the creature didn't notice them.

A ray of moonlight shining through the window gave Orion and Hermione their first glimpse of the creature. Standing twelve feet tall with dull gray skin, a lumpy body and a small bald head was a large mountain troll. It had short thick legs and flat feet. In on hand was a large wooden club that could easily kill them with one strike.

Hermione gasped loudly forcing Orion to quickly move and cover her mouth with his hand. Unfortunately it was enough to draw the troll's attention. For a long moment, nothing happened as the troll stared at them and then waggled its long ears, as if it was trying to make up its mind. Orion's mind worked furiously. It was insane to even consider taking on a mountain troll. They were nothing more dumb muscle that would destroy anything in their path.

Before Orion could devise a plan, the troll let out a grunt and started walking towards them. Hermione let out a scream that echoed in Orion's ears. "Move!" he shouted to her and they ran. The entire floor shook with every step the troll made. Looking over his shoulder, Orion saw that the troll was gaining on them and raised his wand. "_Locomotor_ _Mortis_!" The Leg-Locker Curse simply bounced off the troll. "_Petrificus_ _Totalus_!" The Body-Bind Curse also bounced off the troll causing Orion to growl in frustration. He quickly pointed his wand at the troll's club. "_Expelliarmus_!" The Disarming Spell hit the club which flew out of the troll's hand and hit the wall.

It seemed as if the entire castle shook as the troll came to a sudden halt…well, as sudden as a troll could. With the troll distracted, Orion turned his attention forward and saw several teachers running towards them. Without a second thought, Orion grabbed Hermione and pulled her out of the way. A rainbow of spells erupted from the teachers' wands. Orion could only watch as one of the spells hit the club, causing it to take flight and strike the troll in the head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell backwards with a thud making the castle shake once again.

Orion shakily re-holstered his wand and let out a relieved breath. That was certainly one experience that he wasn't going to write home about. Slowly, his eyes focused on the teachers who had saved them. Professor McGonagall looked slightly shaken, Professor Quirrell looked frightened and Professor Snape looked annoyed although that was how he normally looked.

"Are you two all right?" Professor McGonagall asked immediately as she quickly checked them for injuries.

"We're fine, Professor," Orion insisted. "I'm sorry for the damage. I just couldn't think of anything else."

"That's understandable, Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall said with a nod. "Students are finishing the feast in their houses so I suggest you two hurry along." Orion and Hermione turned to leave. "Mr. Black," McGonagall added and waited for Orion and Hermione to turn back around. "Five points to Gryffindor."

Orion smiled and pulled Hermione to the Gryffindor Tower. Not a word was uttered between them until the reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Pig snout," Orion said and stepped aside to allow Hermione to enter first. The moment they were in the Common Room, Neville was at their side demanding to know what happened and if they were all right.

Apparently, Professor Quirrell had announced that a troll was in the dungeons, sending all of the students into panic. The students had been sent to their Common Rooms for their own safety which had sent Neville into a second panic. He had immediately run to the High Table and told the teachers of Orion and Hermione's predicament which explained a lot. That had been why the teachers had arrived so quickly and hadn't asked any questions

While Hermione told Neville about their encounter with the troll, Orion's mind wandered to everything he had learned. What kind of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher revealed that a troll had entered the castle in front of children? Anyone would know that was a guaranteed way to create panic. There was also the question of how the troll managed to get into Hogwarts. It was highly unlikely that one could infiltrate the castle on its own. Trolls followed simple instructions, nothing more. Someone had to let the troll in and that someone was in Hogwarts.

Perhaps sending a letter home wasn't such a bad idea after all.

* * *

The arrival of November brought about quite a few changes at Hogwarts. The changing of the weather was the most noticeable. The comfortable fall vanished, leaving very cold temperatures. The lake had frozen over, frost covered the ground every morning, and the icy breeze forced everyone to wear an extra layer of clothing. 

Another change had been the behavior of Hayden and Ron. Both of them had apologized to Orion and Hermione after hearing that they had nearly been attacked by the troll. There was still some tension but they were no longer going out of their way to avoid each other. They weren't necessarily friends, just acquaintances that occasionally spent time together. Hayden and Ron had accepted that if they wanted to do well on their schoolwork they needed help from Orion and Hermione, especially Hayden with all of the last minute Quidditch practices for the upcoming Quidditch match on Saturday.

Oliver's plan of keeping Hayden's spot on the team a secret was foiled early in the week. The moment Hayden's position on the team was revealed, the comments began. The Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs both seemed to be in an agreement that Hayden didn't deserve the position for two completely different reasons. The Slytherins believed that Hayden was getting special treatment because he was the-boy-who-lived while the Hufflepuffs felt that the position should have gone to Orion.

Cedric had been absolutely furious when he heard that Orion had faced the troll and had been speechless to learn that Orion would never play Seeker on the Gryffindor Team. It had taken some convincing for Cedric to accept that Hayden's placement had been Professor McGonagall's decision and no one else's. However, that didn't stop Cedric from putting his foot down and insisting Orion to spend more time with the Hufflepuffs.

The comments must have reached the ears of the teachers too. Professor McGonagall had managed to corner Orion and apologize for making a hasty decision. She had tried to explain that she believed no one would protest the-boy-who-lived being placed on the Quidditch team for one year. There could, however, be some complaints if someone who had been taught by Hogwarts Quidditch players for years was put on the team. Orion would be welcomed to try out next year, something that Professor McGonagall encouraged. "Hayden Potter is a talented Seeker at the moment but I have no doubt he will be more suited for Chaser once he begins to grow," she said. "You were born to catch a Snitch, Orion, and scare us half to death with some of those moves you tend to pull."

Orion had to admit that Professor McGonagall had a point even though it annoyed him that Hayden had basically gotten the spot on the team because of his celebrity status. He also found it shocking that Professor McGonagall assumed this was just a one-year appointment. Oliver Wood rarely changed team members before they graduated since he liked to focus on teamwork. "A team can't work as a unit if the members are constantly changing."

Orion had sent a letter to Remus with a few questions about Professor Quirrell but conveniently left out the reason for the questions. Remus had sent lengthy reply which included all of Quirrell's achievements which left Orion at a loss. Professor Quirrell had some previous experience with trolls which should have made last night a walk in the park for him. Of course, that was before Quirrell had his encounter with the vampire that turned him into the wimp he was now.

Solving the mystery of the third floor had been put on hold temporarily since the first year Gryffindors were trying to quell Hayden's nerves. The day before the Quidditch match, Orion, Neville, Hermione and Ron were trying to distract Hayden in the freezing courtyard during break while huddled around a bright blue fire Hermione had conjured in a jam jar. Hayden had taken up reading _Quidditch Through the Ages_ repeatedly and was currently flipping through the pages again in a distracted manner. Orion let out a frustrated sigh as he glanced around and spotted Professor Snape crossing the yard with a slight limp to his step.

_And coming right this way._

Orion shifted his gaze to Neville and discretely jerked his head towards Snape. Neville's eyes widened the moment he figured out what Orion was trying to say and quickly nudged Hermione to get rid of the fire. Unfortunately, Snape must have seen something because he moved for them with a sneer on his face.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" Professor Snape spat. Hayden cautiously showed Snape the book. "Library books are not to be taken outside the school," Snape sneered. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Everyone stared in shock as Snape took the book and limped away. "He just made that rule up," Hayden muttered angrily. "That wasn't even a library book! My dad gave it too me years ago."

"Wonder what's wrong with his leg," Ron said suspiciously. "I hope it's really hurting him."

Hayden's nerves increased throughout the day and into the night. He complained about Professor Snape constantly and managed to mess up his Charms homework three times before Orion and Hermione stepped in, insisting that he put it off until tomorrow night. With nothing to pour his frustration into, Hayden once again became a nervous wreak, forcing Orion into action. He left the Gryffindor Tower to find Professor Snape and get Hayden's book back. Hopefully then Hayden would start acting like a Gryffindor.

The mission, however, wasn't as easy as Orion had predicted it to be. Professor Snape wasn't in his office or anywhere else in the dungeons. After nearly twenty minutes of searching, Orion pulled out his wand and cast a locator spell he had recently read about only to discover that Professor Snape was in the staffroom. He gathered his courage and knocked only to receive no answer. He tried again but nothing changed.

Slowly, Orion turned the doorknob and opened the door just a crack. "Professor Snape?" he asked politely. He opened the door a little more and nearly gasped at what he saw. Professor Snape wasn't alone. Flich was there with him trying to help Snape bandage the bloody mess that was Snape's legs. All thoughts of Hayden's book vanished from Orion's mind as he hurried to Professor Snape's side.

"Black!" Snape spat angrily. "Get out!"

Orion shook his head as he stared at Snape's legs. "Sir, that looks like bite marks," he said frantically. "Please, let me help. If there is any poison—"

"—I wasn't bitten by a werewolf, Black," Snape snarled in annoyance.

Orion raised his hands defensively. It took every bit of self control for Orion not to flinch or snap back at Snape. "That's good," Orion said as patiently as he could manage. "I know something that will help then but you have to trust me, sir."

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously but he remained silent. Orion assumed that was a sign to go ahead and quickly listed off everything he needed. Snape conjured what he could and summoned the rest. With all of the necessary supplies, Orion quickly mixed up a healing potion Remus had created to help with injuries after the full moon. It used natural herbs and plants instead of magical components and therefore had to be applied in a special way. It had to be filtered which meant that Orion had to actually bandage Snape's legs, apply the potion and then apply another layer of bandages.

Filch and Professor Snape had been remarkably quiet through the entire process, helping when they could and simply watching when they couldn't. Once Orion finished, Snape cautiously stretched out his legs before standing, dropping his robes to hide his legs. It only took a few seconds before Professor Snape let out a relieved breath. The potion had soaked through the bandages and was now actually healing the skin.

"You should probably change the bandages in the morning, sir," Orion said cautiously as he took a step backwards. "That will hold the potion in so your legs will heal completely."

"You will mention this to no one, Black," Professor Snape said in a low voice. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Orion said instantly. Having Hayden on Professor Snape's bad side was all that Gryffindor could afford at the moment. "Professor, I was hoping you could give me Hayden's book. He's extremely nervous about tomorrow and it seems to be the only thing that distracts him." Snape stared at him. "It isn't a library book, sir, I swear."

Professor Snape grudgingly motioned for Orion to take the book sitting on the table. "I never thought you would stoop to be Potter's errand boy, Black," he said coolly.

Orion's eyes narrowed as he bit his tongue to refrain from making some comment that would certainly cost Gryffindor a lot of points and earn him a detention. _What a way to show you're grateful._ "Goodnight, sir," Orion said stiffly before walking out of the staffroom. He nearly had the door closed when Snape's voice caught his attention.

"Blasted thing. How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Orion's eyes widened as he closed the door and hurried back to the Gryffindor Tower. Fluffy had done that? Fluffy would never hurt anyone…unless Professor Snape tried to get to the trap door that Hermione had mentioned. Why would Snape of all people try something so suicidal? What could possibly be hidden underneath the trap door that would make Professor Snape take such a risk?

A horrible feeling settled in the pit of Orion's stomach. If Snape was after the secured contents then he had betrayed Professor Dumbledore's trust. Orion had listened to Sirius and Remus talk about Severus 'Snivellus' Snape and knew that Dumbledore was really the only person who believed Snape had actually turned away from his darker days. No one other than Dumbledore was aware of what had turned Snape from a faithful Death Eater to a spy for the light but Dumbledore had been confident that Snape was indeed sincere.

_What if it had all been a lie?_

Orion didn't sleep much that night and it showed the following morning. His mind had started working in overdrive a few hours ago trying to come up with any soft of explanation for Snape's actions. He needed someone to confide in who would bring a logical perspective but he knew that now wasn't the time. The only thought on everyone's mind was the Quidditch game. Fortunately, Hermione and Neville didn't care much for Quidditch and demanded to know what was on Orion's mind allowing Orion to relay his suspicions.

"Do you think Snape was the one who let the troll in on Halloween?" Neville asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Orion said truthfully. "It all just seems too much of a coincidence. He either let the troll in or stopped whoever did from getting past Fluffy. Either way, someone is definitely after whatever Fluffy is guarding."

"Maybe we should talk to Professor Dumbledore about this," Hermione suggested.

Orion let out a sigh. "He wouldn't believe us," he said bluntly. "I know my granddad, Hermione. He would smile at us, pat us on the head and say 'I'll look into it' before sending us on our way. Don't get me wrong. Granddad's great. He's just an adult and we're—er—not."

Hermione stared at Orion in amazement. "Professor Dumbledore's your grandfather?" she asked.

"Honorary only," Orion clarified before spotting Ron, Seamus and Dean entering the stands. "I suppose we should hurry up. The game's about to start."

They followed the rest of the Gryffindor first years up to the top row. Many of the older students had binoculars in their hands, already knowing that the players had a tendency to fly high above the top of the stands. The field was oval shaped with three hoops on each end resting on long polls. The Keeper (Oliver Wood for the Gryffindor team) would remain in front of the hoops, doing everything in his power to prevent the opposing Chasers from scoring with a Quaffle, a red, football sized ball. There were three Chasers on each team. They passed the Quaffle back and forth down the field until they had the opportune moment to score. Each time the Quaffle went through one of the hoops, ten points was given to the scoring team.

In addition to Chasers, there were also two Beaters on a team. Fred and George were the Beaters for Gryffindor and were probably the most dangerous Beaters at Hogwarts. Being identical twins, Fred and George always had a way of communicating without words. Every time one swung the bat to hit one of the two Bludgers, the other knew where to be to help the other out. The Bludgers were slightly smaller than the Quaffle were charmed to try and knock players off of their brooms. It was the duty of the Beaters to make sure the Bludgers didn't hit anyone from their team.

The final player on the Quidditch team was the Seeker. Their single job for the entire game was to catch the Golden Snitch, a small golden ball about the size of a large walnut. It had small fluttering, silver wings and was nearly impossible to see once it started flying. Catching the Snitch was worth a hundred and fifty points and was the only way to end the game. That was the main reason Seekers were fouled so much. They basically held the outcome of the game in their hand.

It wasn't long before the teams stepped out onto the field. The entire stadium erupted into cheers as the teams approached the referee, Madam Hooch, in the middle of the field. The cheers slowly quieted as Madam Hooch spoke to both teams. Oliver stepped forward and shook the hand of the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint. The players mounted their brooms and, with a loud blast from Madam Hooch's whistle, took off, rising high into the air.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor—what an excellent Chaser that girl is and rather attractive, too—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Orion grinned. Lee Jordan, a dark skinned Gryffindor third year with dreadlocks and a good friend of the Weasley twins, was once again doing the commentary for the Quidditch games. Lee was probably one of the most biased commentators that Orion had ever heard but he was also one of the most hilarious. Professor McGonagall, however, didn't share Orion's point of view. She always watched him closely, ready to reprimand.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve—back to Johnson and—no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slythering Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes—Flint flying like an eagle up there—he's going to sc—no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle—that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint—off up the field and—OUCH—that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger—Quaffle taken by the Slytherins—that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger—sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which—nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes—she's really flying—dodges a speeding Bludger—the goal posts are ahead—come on, now, Angelina—Keeper Bletchley dives—misses—GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Orion cheered loudly with the rest of the Gryffindors, drowning the howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed. Orion, Hermione and Neville squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," Hagrid said as he patted a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "but it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

Orion shook his head. "It's still early though," he said. "The Snitch usually doesn't tease the Seekers this early in the game."

"Hayden's kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," Hagrid said as he raised his binoculars and looked up at the speck that was Hayden.

Orion turned his attention to the sky to try and spot the Snitch. There was a flash of gold but after a second look, Orion realized that it was a reflection from a wristwatch. Angelina scored again and Orion saw it. A flash of gold that quickly flew past Adrian Pucey's left ear. Orion was about to point it out when he saw Hayden dive after it, the Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs following suit. They were neck and neck. Everyone stopped and watched, the rest of the game seemed to have lost all importance. Hayden was faster, pulling ahead of Higgs and ready to reach out—

WHAM! The Gryffindors cried out in outrage at the sight of Marcus Flint blocking Hayden on purpose, sending his broom off course. The Gryffindors screamed 'foul' while Madam Hooch cornered Flint and scolded him. She then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor but the damage had been done. The Snitch was gone.

"Send him off, ref!" Dean Thomas yelled. "Red card!"

Orion laughed at the confused looks around him. He was suddenly glad that Remus had insisted on learning about the Muggle world. "Wrong sport, Dean!" Orion shouted. "There aren't any red cards in Quidditch!"

"Well there should be!" Dean said furiously. "Flint should be ejected for that!"

"He should," agreed Hagrid. "Flint coulda knocked Hayden outta the air."

Lee Jordan decided to make his opinion well known. "So—after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating—"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall warned.

Lee flinched slightly but wasn't about to be derailed. "I mean, after that open and revolting foul…"

"Jordan, I'm warning you—"

"All right, all right," Lee said in annoyance. "Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Orion returned to searching for the Snitch while keeping an eye on Hayden. It seemed that the Slytherin team was determined to take Hayden out of the game. Another Bludger was shot his way which nearly hit him in the head. Fortunately, Fred and George arrived just in time to send it towards the Slytherins. Orion was about to turn his gaze away when he saw Hayden's broom quickly lurch forward, nearly sending Hayden off it.

"Something's wrong," Orion muttered, his attention now completely on Hayden.

It happened again. The broom seemed to have a mind of its own and it was determined to send Hayden to his death. Hayden tried desperately to turn the broom towards Oliver while hanging on for dear life. The broom started to zigzag through the air while making violent movements to send him off. That certainly wasn't normal broom behavior. Something or someone was making it act that way.

Orion quickly grabbed the nearest pair of binoculars, ignoring the protests from the owner, and started searching through the crowd for who could possibly be jinxing the broom. He quickly glanced over the groups of students until he reached the first group of adults.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee continued on, oblivious to Hayden. "Flint with the Quaffle—passes Spinnet—passes Bell—hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose—only joking, Professor—Slytherins score—a no…"

Cheers erupted from the Slytherins making it difficult for Orion to get a clear view of the adults by them. It seemed that Orion was the only one aware of Hayden's bewitched broom. No one else noticed that it was taking Hayden dangerously high up in the air.

Hagrid was the first to say something. "Dunno what Hayden thinks he's doing," he mumbled as he stared up through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of his broom…but he can't have…"

As everyone started pointing up at Hayden, Orion finally spotted a possible culprit. The person was staring, unblinking at Hayden as his lips moved frantically as if he were quickly talking to himself. Hayden's broom started to roll over and over, making it extremely difficult to hold onto. The entire crowd gasped as Hayden's broom gave a jerk forcing Hayden to swing off it. He was no holding onto the broom with only one hand.

Orion had no time to waste. "Be ready to cast as many levitation charms as you can," he said quickly to the first year Gryffindors as he tossed the binoculars back to the owner. "I'm gonna stop whoever's jinxing Hayden's broom."

Before anyone could question him, Orion pushed his way through the crowd and ran down the stairs. He had his wand in hand with a flick of the wrist and made his way across to the row underneath where the culprit stood. He was so focused on his target that he nearly ran over Professor Quirrell, sending him to the floor in the process. Orion's eyes narrowed as the reached the tall, hook-nosed Potions Professor and crouched down before whispering, "_Lacarnum_ _Inflamare_." Bright blue flames shot from his wand onto the hem of Snape's robes. Orion took that as his cue to get as far from the scene as possible.

As soon as Orion was far enough away, he looked upwards and saw Hayden on his broom, speeding towards the ground with Higgs following suit. The flash of gold was unmistakable. Orion could only watch in suspense as Hayden leaned forward, reached out, wrapped his fingers around the Snitch, and managed to pull up just in time to avoid the ground.

"I've got the Snitch!" Hayden shouted as he held the Snitch up above his head, ending the game.

Lee Jordan shouted the results, announcing that Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Orion let out a relieved sigh before catching up with Hermione and Neville who were following Hagrid to his hut. Not a word was said until they were inside and each had a cup of strong tea in hand.

"It was Snape," Orion said nervously. "He was casting a spell on Hayden's broom, I'm sure of it."

"Rubbish," Hagrid said stubbornly. "Why would Snape do something' like that?"

Orion, Hermione and Neville shared a look until Orion let out a sigh. "Hagrid, Professor Snape was attacked by Fluffy," he said cautiously. "We know that Fluffy is protecting something on the third floor and we're worried that he's trying to steal it."

Hagrid dropped his teapot. "What're yeh doin' searchin' 'round the third floor?" he asked.

"It was an accident, Hagrid," Hermione said quickly. "I accidentally found Fluffy with Ron and Hayden. Orion just put the pieces together."

Hagrid stared at Orion for a moment before shaking his head. "Yeh've got too much of yer father in yeh, Orion," he said as he cleaned up the spilt tea. "Yeh listen ter me. Snape's a Hogwarts teacher. He'd never do anythin' against Dumbledore. Yeh should know that, Orion."

"But then why did Snape try to knock Hayden off his broom?" asked Neville. "You have to admit that something isn't right about all of this."

Hagrid looked uncomfortable. "Look, I can't explain what happened today but I know Snape wouldn' try to kill a Hogwarts student," he said stubbornly. "Now, listen to me, all three of yeh—yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget abou' Fluffly and what he's guardin', that's strictly between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel—"

"—what?" Orion interrupted in surprise and knew by Hagrid's furious look, they had just been given another clue to the mystery of the third floor. _Where have I heard of that name before?_

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out. It was just one family event after another in addition to the numerous computer repairs I have to do for my family in my free time. Once everything calms down, I'll update more often. I promise. 


	6. Home for the Holidays

Chapter 6

Home for the Holidays

The Quidditch game seemed to be the turning point for Hayden and Ron. Even though no one had admitted it, there had always been tension between Orion, Hayden and Ron. Orion had always resented Hayden while Hayden and Ron had always been intimidated by Orion. Orion Black was smart and popular, especially with the older years. He knew spells that many second and third years struggled with. Hayden Potter and Ron Weasley, on the other hand, were struggling to understand the first year material.

Now, however, Hayden and Ron couldn't be any more grateful for Orion's knowledge. Hayden insisted that he was in Orion's debt and tried to be more sociable with Orion which made it difficult for Orion to keep his distance. Orion had accepted that he could be friendly with Hayden Potter but the thought of actually being friends with the son of the man who had caused his father so much pain wasn't something Orion was ready for. In a way, Orion felt like he was betraying his father even though Remus insisted that wasn't true in his letters.

Hayden and Ron had been shocked to hear that a teacher had been jinxing Hayden's broom although Hayden did admit that he should have known since Snape never hid how much he hated Hayden above all other students. It had taken a lot of convincing on Orion and Hermione's part to keep Hayden from reporting Snape since they really had no actual proof. It also didn't help that Hayden hated Professor Snape just as much as Snape hated Hayden. No one would believe five Gryffindors complaining about the Head of Slytherin House.

Christmas was coming fast along with the winter weather. The grounds were now covered in several feet of snow, the lake was frozen solid and extra layers were a requirement to avoid illness from the chilling drafts. Despite all of the schoolwork, Orion and Hermione did what they could to research Nicolas Flamel without drawing attention. Orion, Neville and Hermione had kept Hagrid's revelation to themselves which usually left Neville to come up with some excuse when Orion and Hermione disappeared for hours at a time.

In many ways, Orion was counting down the days to Christmas. Not only would he see his father and uncle again but he would also be able to get away from Draco who had been extremely irritating ever since the Quidditch match. Losing to Gryffindor was one thing but having Hayden Potter on that team seemed to be too much for Draco to handle. Draco had tried to make fun of Hayden on the bucking broomstick but no one found it funny. Everyone was actually impressed that Hayden hadn't fallen to his death.

It would certainly be a quiet Christmas at Hogwarts. The Weasleys were the only Gryffindors staying behind because their parents were going to Romania to visit Charlie who worked on a dragon preserve, something that Ron openly complained about. "Percy's going to be horrible, I just know it," Ron grumbled. "He always is when Mum and Dad are out of town."

It was the final night before the holidays and Orion was finally able to have a few uninterrupted hours alone in the library while everyone else packed for the train ride in the morning. So far, Flamel wasn't in _Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century_, _Notable Magical Names of Our Time_, _Important Modern Magical Discoveries_, and _A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry_. The only thing Orion had going for him was that since he knew he had heard of Flamel before, he stuck with books he had already read. It did narrow down the field although not as much as Orion would have hoped.

It wasn't until a nearby lantern extinguished that Orion realized how late it had become. As quickly as possible, Orion packed up everything and hurried out of the library. The hallways were empty which most likely meant that it was past curfew. Orion mentally cursed himself for losing track of time so badly. The last thing he needed was to be caught by Filch and receive his first detention.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, sending Orion into a panic. Without a thought, Orion hurried into the first unlocked room he could find, quietly closed the door and waited, listening to the footsteps come closer and closer. He didn't dare move or even breathe as the footsteps moved past the room he was in. As the footsteps faded away, Orion let out a relieved sigh, turned around and took a looked around.

At first glance, it looked like nothing more than an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against all the walls except for one where a large magnificent mirror as high as the ceiling with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet was propped up. Orion took a cautious step forward, noticing the inscription carved around the top. _Erised_ _stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi_. Curiosity peaked as Orion stepped closer. He felt drawn to the mirror for some reason.

Stepping in front of the mirror, Orion's eyes widened at what he saw. The reflection wasn't necessarily a reflection. He was older, dressed in Auror robes and standing with his father, Remus, an older Neville and Hermione, Professor Dumbledore, a beautiful woman with long brown hair and a young boy who looked a lot like Sirius and Orion but had the woman's hazel eyes. Everyone looked so carefree, so happy. Orion couldn't hold back a smile as he reached out and touched the mirror. This was what he wanted for the future, a complete family in a world free of Voldemort.

This was what he wanted more than anything else in the world.

Orion didn't know how long he stared at the mirror, memorizing everything. So many emotions flashed on everyone's faces and they were all positive. The young boy leaned towards Orion and wrapped his arms around Orion's waist, smiling happily. Orion thought he felt an arm wrap around his chest but ignored it as he continued to stare at the boy—his brother.

"_Orion_."

Something was pulling Orion backwards, away from the mirror. He fought against the force, desperate to hold onto the reflection just a bit longer. Was that too much to ask?

"_Orion, listen to my voice. It's not real._"

Orion was turned around quickly, coming face to face with Professor Dumbledore. He blinked repeatedly, his eyes noticing Dumbledore's tired face. "Granddad?" he asked in confusion.

Dumbledore smiled as he ushered Orion out of the room. "It is remarkable what one can find when they least expect it," he said pleasantly. "The Mirror of Erised is one of those artifacts that that has a tendency to entrap the observer, much like it did you."

Orion stared at Professor Dumbledore in surprise. "That was the Mirror of Erised?" he asked. "I thought it was only a myth."

Dumbledore's smile widened slightly. "Ah, I see that Remus has passed his love of magical myths onto you," he observed. "Items that are rare are usually fabricated but the legend of the Mirror of Erised is quite true. It does indeed show us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of out hearts. Many have wasted away in front of it, seeing an image that would never come true."

Orion's gaze fell as his shoulders sagged forward as they walked towards the Gryffindor Tower.

"What did you see, my boy?" Professor Dumbledore asked curiously as he rested a comforting hand on Orion's shoulder.

"My family and friends," Orion admitted. "I was an Auror with Dad and Voldemort was gone for good. I finally had a Mum and a little brother. We were all so happy."

Dumbledore gave Orion's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Well, no one knows what the future will bring, Orion," he said gently. "You still may have the family you long for someday. As far as Voldemort is concerned, I suggest you hold onto that belief that he will be defeated. Dreams of a better future can help even the most desperate in times of need."

They reached the Fat Lady portrait in no time. Orion automatically gave her the password, watching as the portrait swung to reveal the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower. Letting out a tired sigh, he looked up at Professor Dumbledore and smiled. "Good night, Granddad," he said, "and Happy Christmas."

Dumbledore wrapped an arm around Orion and pulled him close. "You too, my boy," he said pleasantly, "and please have some fun over the holidays. You really do spend too much time in the library."

Orion's cheeks warmed slightly before he returned the one arm embrace and walked into the Gryffindor Tower. It wasn't a good sign when Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, noticed a change in behavior. Perhaps a teacher had spoken to him. _Or maybe he has actually been keeping a closer eye on me than I thought._

* * *

The train ride to Platform 9 ¾ was extremely long and boring. Orion, Hermione and Neville were casually flipping through books and Orion's journals for any mention of Nicolas Flamel while Hayden played Exploding Snap with Dean and Seamus. The only time Orion had stepped away from the research was when Cedric and some of the first year Hufflepuffs stopped by for a visit. Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Ernie MacMillan were actually quite nice even if Justin was slightly awestruck by Hayden like most Muggle-borns tended to be. 

When the train finally arrived, everyone was eager to get off and go home. Orion and Neville quickly bid farewell to Hermione who had already planned on meeting her parents on platform nine before looking for their own. Hayden and Cedric soon joined them along with countless others. It seemed that entire families were there dressed in warm cloaks, eagerly searching for their child.

"Orion!"

Orion grinned as Remus pushed his way through the crowd and immediately took off, jumping into Remus' arms. Thin arms wrapped around him as a face buried into Orion's hair. Orion's eyes started to sting forcing him to bury his face into Remus' robes. _I'm not going to cry in front of everyone. I'll never hear the end of it._

"I missed you too, cub," Remus said softly before looking up at Neville, Cedric and Hayden. "Hello boys. Hayden, I believe I spotted your parents on the other end of the platform. Neville and Cedric, you're supposed to come home with us."

Hayden grabbed his trunk, bid farewell and blended in with the crowd. Orion did everything in his power to avoid Remus' curious gaze while Remus shrunk their trunks and pocketed them. It was a slow process to escape the train station. Multiple trains had arrived at the same time making it easy for everyone to blend in along with getting lost. When they finally walked out of the train station, they were relieved to see a car waiting for them with Mr. Longbottom behind the wheel. It was a cold, windy night which would have made the walk feel too long.

"Hello boys!" Mr. Longbottom said brightly as they climbed into the backseat. "Happy to be home?"

"More than you can know, Dad," Neville said happily. "Where's Mum?"

"She's at the Black house with Amos and Elena," Mr. Longbottom said as Remus closed the rear passenger door and slid onto the front passenger seat. The moment the door closed, the car was off. "We thought you boys would like to have a 'family' dinner before we all went our separate ways for the holidays."

"Where's Dad?" Orion asked curiously.

"He got called in, Ori," Remus said gently. "You know how it is around the holidays. Everyone takes off and your father usually gets stuck cleaning up after the lower ranking Aurors. He'll try to make it. I know he can't wait to see you."

"Yeah, right," Orion said in disappointment as his gaze fell. He knew he shouldn't be surprised. It had become a yearly event for his father to be called into work at the start of the holidays. It was difficult to be someone's friend and supervisor but Sirius had been determined to be both. Sirius didn't want to command by fear like Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody did before his retirement. Unfortunately, Sirius Black's way of doing things usually meant that Orion and Remus paid the price for it.

It wasn't long before they arrived at Black Manor but the joy of coming home had vanished for Orion. He knew he was probably being selfish but he couldn't help himself. Why did his father always have to work? It wasn't like they needed the money. The Black family fortune was large enough to allow the Black family to live comfortably for generations. Why would anyone work themselves to the point of exhaustion when they didn't need to?

_Maybe because that's what makes Dad happy._

Orion silently followed everyone inside and sat down by the roaring fire hoping that the flames would turn green at any moment, signaling his father's return. Cedric hurried into the kitchen to find his parents followed by Neville who rushed in to find Mrs. Longbottom. Mr. Longbottom followed his son at a much slower pace, leaning heavily on his cane for support. Today was clearly one of Mr. Longbottom's 'bad' days and he had every intention on hiding it for his son's sake.

The sight made Orion feel extremely guilty. Yes, his father wasn't there but it could be worse. Sirius could be in constant pain and be forced to stay home after working so hard to succeed at his job. Mr. Longbottom had been an accomplished Auror and most likely would have been promoted to Sirius' spot had his family not been attacked by Death Eaters. _So much would be different if that night had not happened._

A hand gently resting on Orion's shoulder quickly pulled him out of his thoughts. Looking up into Remus' understanding amber eyes, Orion tried to smile but figured he wasn't too successful when Remus let out a soft sigh and sat down beside him. "I remember when your father returned to work after adopting you," Remus said with a smile. "He told me it had been one of the hardest things he had ever done but he felt that he had to do something to make sure the world would be safe for you."

Orion couldn't help smiling. "Moony, the world will never be safe enough for me," he said knowingly. "Dad would probably lock me in the family vault to protect me if he wasn't so afraid of what I would find there."

Remus chuckled as he playfully ruffled Orion's hair. "But that doesn't stop your father from trying to do what he can," he added. "I know it's hard since he's the only parent you have, Ori, especially now that you're at Hogwarts for most of the year. We'll find a way to make this work. I promise." Orion nodded. "Of course you could always talk to me if you needed advice."

"I know," Orion said as he stared at the fire. "I just wanted to see him."

"And talk to him about your friendship with Hayden Potter?" Remus offered causing Orion to wince slightly. "He already knows, Orion. Everyone _knows_ everything the-boy-who-lived does. Sirius comes home from every shift with the latest 'Hayden Potter news'. It was the talk of the Ministry when Hayden became a member of the Gryffindor House and the Gryffindor Quidditch team. You wouldn't believe how many questions Sirius got when word got out that Hayden Potter was being tutored by Orion Black."

Orion groaned as he buried his face in his hands. "It's not like that!" he cried in frustration. "It's a long story but Hayden and Ron only started spending time with us out of guilt. They were prats and we were almost hurt because of it."

Remus stared at Orion with a raised eyebrow. "I have a strong feeling this 'long story' is something you don't want your father knowing about, right?" Orion shifted nervously in his seat. "I thought so. Don't worry, Orion. I won't say a word. What happens at Hogwarts, stays at Hogwarts…unless you are in danger and need our help."

"Is this some Marauder Rule that you never told me about?" Orion asked suspiciously.

Remus grinned. "Of course," he answered proudly. "You grandparents would have pulled your father out of school if they knew half of the pranks he pulled."

"Because he pulled the pranks on Slytherins, especially Professor Snape," Orion added as he rose to his feet. "I swear if looks could kill…"

Remus' body stiffened slightly. "Has Severus been causing problems?" he asked trying to sound casual.

Orion shook his head. "He just glares at me from time to time," he said with a shrug. "It's Hayden he hates which I don't understand at all. From what you've told me, Dad was worse than the rest of you combined. Why isn't he horrible to me?"

Remus let out a sigh as he stood up and rested a hand on Orion's shoulder. "It's complicated, Orion," he said softly. "After Voldemort vanished, the Death Eaters became the Ministry's targets. Your father was a part of the squad that focused on the most dangerous Death Eaters. One of the captured Death Eaters arranged for a plea by revealing several unknown Death Eaters. Severus was one of them. Your father immediately contacted Dumbledore before getting a head start on the 'search' for Severus. He found Severus and brought him in while Dumbledore arranged the proof that Severus was indeed on our side. Because of Sirius and Dumbledore, Severus didn't have to spend any time in Azkaban."

Orion stared at Remus in confusion. "So he isn't horrible to me because he feels like he owes Dad?" he asked.

"Partially," Remus admitted. "Severus and Sirius still hate each other with a passion. Sirius did what he did because of Dumbledore. That didn't matter to Severus, though. He believed that he owed Sirius a debt and he was infuriated when Sirius refused repayment…until you came into his life. Since you look so much like your father, Sirius was worried that Severus would take his unpleasantness out on you. When you started spending full moons at Hogwarts, Sirius asked Severus to treat you as he would anyone else and not take the sins of the father out on the son."

Orion stared at Remus, not really surprised by the revelation. What other explanation was there? "So Professor Snape treats me decent because he has to and treats Hayden like scum because he can," Orion concluded. "How come no one has done anything about it?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders as he ushered Orion towards the kitchen. "It would be up to the Potters to issue a complaint although I doubt they would," he said thoughtfully. "Hayden is supposed to be the savior of the wizarding world yet he can't handle one bitter professor? It wouldn't go over well and right now, their image is all the Potters have."

Orion frowned but remained silent as they walked into the kitchen. Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Diggory, Cedric and Neville were sitting at the table talking quietly while Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Diggory finished preparing dinner. Orion sat down beside Neville and joined in on the conversation about current Hogwarts life even though his eyes seemed to constantly return to the door, looking for any sign that his father had returned.

The meal passed slowly with the adults wanting to know everything that had happened at Hogwarts the past term. Neville proudly told his parents about everything he had learned because of Orion and Hermione's help while Cedric complained about the unfairness with Hayden's appointment on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. "Hayden may be talented on a broom but so are a lot of people at Hogwarts," Cedric protested as he glanced briefly at Orion. "The only reason he was given that spot was because he's the-boy-who-lived."

The adults glanced at each other before Mr. Diggory answered. "That may be the case, son," he said truthfully. "There are many people in the wizarding world who believe they are in Hayden Potter's debt. Because of that, no one would protest against Hayden receiving a few liberties such as a position on the Quidditch team a year early."

"We know it's not fair, boys," Mrs. Longbottom said gently. "Unfortunately, that's the way it is. So much is expected of Hayden Potter. I highly doubt any of you would want the life that has been forced on him."

"Don't forget that there is a price that comes with being a savior," Remus added, his gaze shifting slightly towards Orion, who knew where Remus was going with this. "If Professor Dumbledore's theory is correct, it's only a matter of time before Voldemort returns and when that time comes, Hayden will be the first one the wizarding world turns to in order to fix the problem. That's a burden that no one should have to bear."

That was certainly the truth. Orion had learned over the years how fickle the Ministry and the wizarding world could be. If you were praised in the 'Daily Prophet' then you were declared a hero but that popularity could vanish the next day if the very same paper ridiculed something you did. Sirius Black had experienced it all first hand. The wizarding world had loved him until the day he adopted a five-year-old boy. Their protector couldn't devote all his time to protecting them anymore. The criticizing had only ended when Sirius returned to work and the wizarding world caught a glimpse of a cute little boy happily held in his father's arms.

Nothing else was said about Hayden Potter for the rest of the night. The Diggorys and Longbottoms left shortly after dinner so Orion could return to his spot in front of the fire, waiting for his father to return. Remus joined him on the sofa and immediately started in on stories from the Marauders' days at Hogwarts. Hearing about his father's stupid mistakes was normally a way to distract and calm Orion down, especially when Sirius was working late. Before long, Orion felt his eyes slowly closing and found it hard to concentrate on Remus' words. He drifted between consciousness and oblivion, not even noticing when strong arms lifted him off the sofa and pulled him to against a familiar firm chest.

"_He tried waiting up for you, Sirius,_" Remus' quiet, concerned voice washed over Orion. "_He honestly thought you would be angry with him for being friendly to Hayden._"

Orion buried his face in the firm chest as it rumbled. "_I really messed things up, didn't I?_" Sirius asked softly as he started walking up the stairs. "_When did I start blaming a child for his father's actions?_"

"_You never actually blamed Hayden for anything, Sirius,_" Remus corrected gently. "_You resent that Hayden became the-boy-who-lived because that was what changed James and Lily. They got caught up in the spotlight while you were out there trying to capture the remaining Death Eaters. They didn't have time for you and you didn't have time for them. When things finally slowed down, Dumbledore stepped in and then when Harry—_"

"—_don't even say it,_" Sirius said as he walked into a dark room and lowered Orion onto a soft bed. "_I get it. The question is what do I do now? I don't know if I can handle the Potters coming back into our lives, especially James._"

Orion's shoes were removed as his clothes were transfigured into pajamas. "_You knew this was almost guaranteed to happen, Sirius,_" Remus interjected. "_Hayden and Orion are too much alike for them not to be friends. Hayden is just rash in his actions while Orion thinks things through. You taught him that._"

Sirius let out a snort as he covered Orion and tucked him in. "_Ironic, isn't it_?" he asked. "_I used to me the most impulsive of us all and you were the quiet one yet the child that we raised is the exact opposite. He's everything we should have been in school._" Sirius ran his fingers through Orion's hair and placed a kiss on Orion's forehead. "_Good night, kiddo. Sweet dreams._"

Orion finally succumbed to sleep, unable to even process everything that he had heard.

* * *

The holidays were probably the best that Orion could remember. Every day seemed to be another adventure. Dueling, prank wars and serious discussions—well, as serious as Sirius Black could be—took up the majority of the days and even some of the nights. Sirius had been determined to be there as much as possible for Orion, only going to work when it was absolutely necessary. 

Orion had discretely brought up the topic of Nicholas Flamel only to receive a vague answer from Remus. "I would look through your old essays, cub. If you've heard of Flamel before, chances are it would have popped up there." That sent Orion into research mode; going through every essay on witches, wizards and wizarding history he had been assigned. He had eventually found Flamel mentioned in his essay about Professor Dumbledore he had written a few years ago. Apparently Dumbledore and Flamel had worked together on some alchemy projects.

There weren't any alchemy books at Black Manor and those that had something about alchemy only had a vague overview of the topic. Orion knew that the books he needed were at Hogwarts which meant his research would be put on hold until the holidays were over. The excitement of getting farther in the investigation was only met with disappointment, something that Orion had to work hard in hiding from his father and uncle. Remus may have claimed to have turned a blind eye concerning Orion's strange behavior but Orion wasn't fooled. The moment Orion let anything slip Remus would call him on it and possibly speak to Orion's father about it.

Christmas morning brought about many surprises for Orion. The biggest was Orion's initiation into the Marauders. To Orion, this meant more than pranking. Being a Marauder meant that Orion could finally be there with his father and Uncle during the full moons. Of course Orion was currently on a probationary period meaning that his father had to be there with him, just in case. Becoming a Marauder also meant that Orion was finally given a name for his animagus form that he would be called.

It wasn't much of a surprise for Orion to learn that the only name his father and uncle could agree on was 'Shadow'. Some of the other possibilities made Orion wonder if his father and uncle had consumed too much fire whiskey when the discussion took place but he refrained from voicing his thoughts. He was an official Marauder now and that was all that mattered.

Orion did receive Christmas presents from Neville, Hermione, Cedric, Professor Dumbledore, and presents from various members of the Weasley family which provided a lot of laughs. Bill and Charlie were aware of the importance of a sense of humor at Black Manor while Fred and George still tried to catch Orion by surprise. Orion had heard the twins talk about their mentors, the Marauders, and didn't have the heart to tell them he knew who Padfoot, Moony, Wormtail and Prongs actually were. The twins would probably have a heart attack when they hear that the renowned Auror Sirius Black used to be one of the most notorious pranksters to ever enter Hogwarts.

As the end of the holidays approached, Orion wasn't surprised to be cornered by his father concerning the Potters. Sirius assured Orion that he had nothing against Orion and Hayden being friends. At the current time, however, Sirius just couldn't bring himself to face the Potter family. There were just too many old wounds that had festered for so long. Orion understood completely. He could keep his friendship with Hayden Potter as long as Hayden's parents kept their distance.

Leaving for Hogwarts arrived sooner than what Orion would have liked. Spending time with his father and uncle was something Orion had certainly missed at Hogwarts. He really wanted to talk to his father and uncle about everything that was happening at Hogwarts but had a feeling that doing so would only cause problems. Any risk in security was too much of a risk when Sirius Black's son was concerned.

The Blacks arrived at the train station early only to fear that everyone had the same idea. The platform was packed with people shouting over each other. As they moved, Orion realized what was going on. The Potters had arrived and ran into the reporters from every magical newspaper and magazine. Orion shook his head in disgust and turned back to his father. Without saying a word, Orion embraced Sirius and whispered a soft goodbye. Sirius did the same before urging him to hurry while everyone was distracted. After a final goodbye, the Blacks went their separate ways, determined to remain unnoticed.

"I said 'no comment'!" James Potter exclaimed loudly as he broke away from the group. "Leave my son and family alone or I shall press charges!"

Orion glanced over his shoulder as he stepped onto the train and froze when his emerald eyes met the hazel eyes of James Potter. Mr. Potter's features softened as he stared at Orion with a strange look on his face. Orion suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable and hurried into the train, looking for a compartment that he could hide in. It was a cowardly move but Orion really didn't like the look that had been on Mr. Potter's face. It resembled a look of longing but that was ridiculous. Why would Mr. Potter 'long' for anything concerning the son of his former best friend?

_Perhaps he longs for Hayden to have a normal life like me._ That was a possibility or maybe Mr. Potter felt some remorse for his actions six years ago. Orion snorted. _Yeah, right. If he did he would have apologized._ Orion pulled his trunk out of his pocket, enlarged it and pulled out _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4_ to read. It didn't matter how Mr. Potter felt now. It didn't matter if Mr. Potter realized what a prat he had been all those years ago. Mr. Potter would have to do some serious groveling if he ever wanted to have any sort of relationship with his former friend.

The door to the compartment slid open revealing an agitated Hayden Potter. "Hi Orion," he said as he dragged his trunk in and flopped down on the seat across from Orion. "When did you get here? I wanted to introduce you to my parents."

Orion bit back a flinch. That would have been even more uncomfortable than having eye contact with Mr. Potter. "We arrived when the reporters were demanding an interview," Orion said and noticed Hayden wincing at the comment. "My dad wanted to avoid any uncomfortable moments so he left."

Hayden stared at Orion in confusion. "Why would there be uncomfortable moments?" he asked.

Orion let out a sigh as he rubbed his forehead. He really didn't want to get into this now, especially since he didn't know the entire story. "Our parents don't really get along, Hayden," Orion said with a shrug. "That's all I'll say about it. If you want to know more, I suggest you talk to your father."

It was Hayden's turn to let out a sigh. "Then I won't find out anything," he protested. "Mum and Dad—I love them, I really do, but they are so overprotective. They don't tell me anything unless I overhear something and confront them on it; even then it's only 'what I need to know'."

"Considering how many enemies you have, I'd say your parents probably have a reason for being overprotective," Orion said dryly. "My dad is probably as overprotective as your parents—" Hayden stared at Orion in disbelief, "—_but_ my dad believes that knowledge is power. He's seen what happens when people enter a situation unprepared. Dad didn't want that to happen to me. He made a choice to teach me what he could while your parents chose to shelter you."

"But I'm the-boy-who-lived," Hayden protested weakly. "How am I supposed to be the wizarding world's savior if I can't protect myself?"

Orion shrugged his shoulders. "_That_ is something you'll have to talk to your parents about," he answered then shifted his gaze to his book. It was really hard to believe that the Potters would coddle Hayden so much considering what was expected of Hayden in the future. _I'll never complain about Dad's lessons again. That's for sure._

The compartment door opened again, preventing Hayden from saying anything more. Orion looked up and smiled at Hermione and Neville. After they shared greetings, Hermione and Neville looked at Orion expectantly only to receive a smile and a wink in return. Hermione and Neville grinned happily as they sat down and started relaying what happened during their holiday breaks. The message had been passed. Orion had been successful in his search. They would learn of the details when they arrived at Hogwarts.


	7. Sticks and Stones

Chapter 7

Sticks and Stones

The start of the new term brought about many changes for Orion. With the mystery of Nicholas Flamel hanging over their heads, Orion, Neville and Hermione were spending more time away from Hayden and Ron. The return of Quidditch practice had certainly made the task easier since Ron hated spending time in the library when there wasn't some large assignment hanging over his head. As it turned out, the one book Orion needed was one that Hermione had already checked out 'for a bit of light reading'. It was in that large book that they learned that Nicholas Flamel was the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone.

The Philosopher's Stone was certainly a much sought after object. It could transform any metal into pure gold along with producing the Elixir of Life, which could make the drinker immortal. Such an account could be pushed off as false except for the fact that Nicholas Flamel was currently six hundred and sixty five years old. The life expectancy of wizards was better than Muggles but it wasn't anywhere near that good. Flamel and his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight), were using the stone.

In the wrong hands, such an object could be disastrous. The user could have a never ending fortune and the means to live through anything thrown at them. If Voldemort or one of his followers were to obtain the Philosopher's Stone, Orion knew that the war would probably be over before it even started. That got Orion thinking. What if the 'intruder' was acting on Voldemort's orders? What if Voldemort was planning on using the Stone to regain his body and come back even stronger than he had been before?

Suddenly, Orion wasn't sure he wanted to keep his investigation a secret any longer. He was only eleven years old! What could he do against Lord Voldemort?

Orion was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts when a wet and muddy Hayden plopped down next to him in the Gryffindor Common Room, splattering mud everywhere. Several people nearby cried out in protest as they tried to wipe the mud off their parchment. Orion rolled his eyes before pulling out his wand and casting several cleaning and drying charms. Honestly. They were at a magical school. There were easier ways to clean up the mess.

"Thanks Orion," Hayden said tiredly before burying his face in his hands.

Orion shared a look with Neville and Hermione only earning confused shrugs. Slowly, all of them turned their attention to Ron for some sort of explanation. Ever since their discussion on the train, Hayden hadn't said much to Orion unless it was schoolwork related. Orion knew that Hayden had sent a letter to his parents concerning the problems between their fathers only to receive a vague reply about 'overreactions' and a promise to discuss it after the school year was over. According to Hayden, that meant they hoped he would forget about it but if he didn't, then they would talk about it.

"Snape's refereeing the game," Ron admitted nervously.

Orion stared at Ron incredulously for a long moment. "Where in the world did you hear that?" he asked honestly. "Professor Snape hates flying. The only thing he likes about Quidditch is rubbing Slytherin's victories in Professor McGonagall's face."

"Wood told me," Hayden said softly as he raised his head and looked at Orion. "What am I going to do? He's going to try again. I know it."

"Don't play," Hermione answered immediately.

"I have to," Hayden protested. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

"Orion will play for you," Neville proposed earning a glare from Orion. "If you say you're ill—"

"—I'm not going to play," Orion interrupted. He wasn't about to become Hayden Potter's replacement. Hayden was the one who accepted the position on the Quidditch team. It was up to him to play, no matter what fears he may have. "Professor Snape won't do anything during the game. He can't. Everyone will be watching. I'm sure someone would notice if he were to curse you off your broom, Hayden. The only thing Professor Snape can do is be overly critical of the Gryffindor team. Anything else would guarantee a one-on-one session with Professor Dumbledore."

"A lot of good that will do after Hayden's in the hospital wing fighting for his life," Ron said sarcastically.

Orion rose to his feet, glaring at Ron. Out of all of the Weasleys that Orion knew, he could say with good authority that Ron was the most hot-headed Weasley of the bunch. Ron didn't bother researching people and their habits. He just made assumptions based on an old stereotype: Slytherins and Gryffindors hate each other. Orion knew the Professor Snape was biased, sneaky, calculating, and could hold a grudge longer than most people could even dream of. If Snape wanted to hurt Hayden, he would find some way to do it without anyone knowing about it.

"Believe what you want," Orion said with a shrug. "I've known Professor Snape for years. I _know_ he would never do anything out in the open with hundreds of eyes on him. Not all Slytherins are as hot-headed as Draco."

Ron glared at Orion as he enfolded his arms across his chest. "And you _would_ know a lot about Slytherins," he concluded. "You're related to the Malfoys and the Lestranges. For all we know you could be one of them!"

"Ron!" Hayden scolded as Neville and Hermione stared at Ron in shock.

Orion stared at Ron as he desperately tried to refrain from doing something he would regret later…much later. "At least I'm not a simple-minded bigot," he shot back. "Forgive me for trying to help. I promise it'll never happen again."

Before Ron could even open his mouth, Orion pushed past him and walked out of the Gryffindor Tower. A part of him always knew that his distant family would come up sooner or later. He just never thought it would be this soon and over something as small as a Quidditch game. Yes, the Gryffindor house always took Quidditch more seriously that most houses but it was still just a game. There were bigger worries that could justify the accusation.

Orion didn't even realize where he had been going until he found himself standing in front of the entrance to the Hufflepuff Common Room. He was about to knock on the portrait when it opened to reveal Ernie MacMillan stepping out. To say the stout boy was surprised to see Orion was an understatement but he didn't question it. Ernie just took one look at Orion's face before ushering him into the Hufflepuff Common Room and to the nearest open chair.

"I'll find Cedric," Ernie said before hurrying off.

Orion kept his eyes on his hands rubbing together nervously. He didn't have the courage to look around and see the stares of those who somehow knew that Orion had come to see his 'big brother' for help. Cedric had always been extremely vocal in the Hufflepuff house. If he felt something was unjust, he ranted to anyone who would listen and he wasn't the only one. Many had the impression that Hufflepuffs were pushovers because they didn't openly protest against anything done to them. Hufflepuffs preferred to solve their problems in private so they didn't attract a lot of unwanted attention.

That was one of the main differences between Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. Hufflepuffs learned early how blend in the background. That was one of the main reasons why most Hufflepuffs were overlooked even when they did something extraordinary. Gryffindors, on the other hand, tended to be more direct in how they dealt with problems. They also had a tendency to act rashly normally causing injury to themselves and those around them.

A hand rested on Orion's shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts. Slowly, Orion looked up and saw Cedric's concerned face with Ernie, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Susan Bones standing slightly behind him. "I'm sorry," Orion said quietly. "I just didn't know where else to go."

Cedric immediately pulled up a chair and sat down facing Orion. "Before you apologize, Orion, tell me what happened," he said in a gentle but firm voice.

Orion explained what he could, including the fact that Professor Snape was the referee for the upcoming Quidditch game. The Hufflepuffs were surprised at the revelation but did mention that they were glad they weren't in Gryffindor. After retelling his argument with Ron, Orion had calmed down and was able to logically look back at it all. "I know I probably overreacted," Orion admitted. "It's just that Dad and I have worked so hard to separate ourselves from the dark side of the Black family. Dad even helped put the Lestranges in Azkaban. How can Ron think I'm anything like them?"

"Because Weasley's a prat," Ernie said bluntly, earning shocked looks from everyone around him. "What? He is and you all know it."

Cedric shot Ernie an irritated look before returning his attention to Orion. "You're not overreacting, Orion," he said truthfully. "Not everyone was raised like you were. I know the Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley prefers to shield her children from everything. They know the basic facts and don't care about the stories behind them."

"That's no excuse!" Justin protested. "I'm a Muggle-born and I already know about Sirius Black."

"You know about him because Susan and Hannah won't stop talking about how cute he is," Ernie said dryly causing Susan to blush in embarrassment.

Orion cringed. It was just wrong to hear your friends talking about how attractive you father was. "Please don't say that ever again, especially in front of my dad," he said pleadingly.

Cedric grin. "He'd probably get a laugh out of it," he said candidly before letting out a breath and turning serious. "All humor aside, we agree with you, Ori. Weasley was out of line. He owes you one rather large apology."

Orion shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. At the present time, he really didn't care if Ron apologized or not. He was done with trying to be sociable to Ron and Hayden. He had made the effort Moony had asked of him. Now his father didn't have to worry about the Potters coming back into their lives. Perhaps it was all for the best this way.

At least it sounded like good reasoning in Orion's head.

Not much more was said about the situation. That didn't stop Cedric from refusing to let Orion leave though. For some reason, Cedric didn't believe Orion was ready to face the Gryffindors yet and declared that they would be camping out in the Hufflepuff Common Room for the night. Orion didn't think it was necessary. It was, after all, nearly curfew not to mention that Neville and Hermione would probably be worried about him by now but Cedric wouldn't listen, insisting that he was simply looking out for his 'little brother'.

Knowing that he would get it in the morning, Orion reluctantly gave in and spent a humor filled night on the floor of the Hufflepuff Common Room. As shocking as it may sound, Ernie and Justin actually had rather strange sense of humors. Unlike most Muggle-borns, Justin wasn't afraid to show off his heritage or display is ignorance of the wizarding world. Orion could honestly say that he had learned more about the Muggle world than all of the months he had known Hermione. Ernie, on the other hand, was about just as ignorant of the Muggle world as Justin was of the wizarding world. It was quite amusing to watch the two of them try to outwit each other.

Orion didn't know when he finally fell asleep. All he knew was that one moment he was listening to Justin and Ernie in front of the fire and the next he heard voices whispering in the darkness. Slowly, Orion opened his eyes and saw Cedric sleeping next to him. Moving his head slightly, Orion noticed that Ernie, Justin, Susan and Hannah Abbott were also asleep in their sleeping bags nearby.

"_Well, it seems that we found Orion._"

"_Should I wake him, Headmaster? He shouldn't be in the Hufflepuff—_"

"—_I am aware of the rules, Pomona. However, the rules have been bent for family members before. You are aware that Cedric and Orion act like brothers. Considering the words said by young Ronald, I am not surprised that Orion would seek out 'family' for support. You should be proud. Your students have reached out and offered support to a hurting classmate._"

"_Please don't make me out to be the villain here, Headmaster. I'm well aware of Mr. Diggory's protectiveness for Mr. Black. I also know that Mr. Diggory takes anything that happens to Mr. Black personally._"

"_Most brothers are that way, Pomona. I can still remember when my brother, Aberforth—_"

"—_Headmaster! I understand. I may not agree with it but I understand your reasoning._"

Nothing else was said as the portrait entrance opened and closed after they had left. Orion couldn't help feeling a little guilty for the trouble he had caused. Neville and Hermione were probably panicking to warrant Professor Dumbledore participating in the search. Orion knew he would probably hear it tomorrow…repeatedly.

"I can hear you thinking, Ori," Cedric said sleepily. "Don't worry about it. We'll deal with it in the morning."

"But—"

"—no, Orion," Cedric interrupted as he propped himself up slightly and stared into Orion's nervous eyes. "Professor Dumbledore now knows you're safe so there's no reason to worry. What happens tomorrow will happen. We can face it after a few hours of sleep."

Orion buried his face in his pillow. Cedric had a point but it was certainly easier said than done. How was Orion supposed to not worry about what would happen in only a few short hours? In all honesty, Orion knew he could handle the scolding. Everyone would want to make sure he was all right before yelling at him for not telling anyone where he had gone. Orion just didn't want the Hufflepuffs to be punished for helping him out.

_I'll just have to do everything I can to make sure I receive the majority of the blame._

* * *

Morning arrived sooner for some than others. Orion was out of the Hufflepuff Common Room before the sun rose and on his way to the Gryffindor Tower with orders from Cedric to meet the Hufflepuffs in the Great Hall in twenty minutes, a completely impossible request. Orion knew Hogwarts better than most. It took twenty minutes to return to the Gryffindor Tower and then hurry to the Great Hall without actually spending any time in the tower so there was only one thing Orion could do… 

He ran faster than he ever had in his life, changed as quickly and quietly as possible so not to wake his dorm mates, grabbed his supplies he would need for the day and ran out of the tower, not stopping until he nearly ran right into the large doors to the Great Hall. Breathing heavily, Orion took a moment to compose himself then pushed the doors open. The long tables were set, waiting for students to come down and eat, sunlight coming from the enchanted ceiling reflecting in each bowl, plate and goblet.

The large room was empty except for Cedric, Justin, Ernie, Susan, and Hannah sitting at the Hufflepuff table. Not surprising considering that it was only half past six in the morning. The professors and Ravenclaws would probably be showing up any minute followed by the Hufflepuffs, Slytherins and finally the Gryffindors. For some reason, it was always difficult for Gryffindors to get up in the morning. _Except for Hermione._ _She'll probably be in here before most of the Ravenclaws._

Orion contemplated whether to venture over to the Gryffindor table for only a moment before Cedric glanced up and motioned for Orion to join them. Grudgingly, Orion complied although he was already beginning to put together his argument against Cedric playing the overprotective brother for the entire day. He didn't need to be sheltered from his own house. In fact, Orion had a feeling that some of the members of Gryffindor would be just as protective as Cedric.

"Have a seat," Cedric said as he patted the empty spot next to him. "We need to have a quick talk before any of the teachers show up." Cedric shifted his gaze to the Hufflepuff first years. "What happened last night stays among us. If anyone asks, you tell them we were helping out a friend, nothing more."

Orion snorted. Secrets don't remain secrets at Hogwarts. That was a well known fact. Orion didn't doubt that half the school probably already heard that something happened in the Gryffindor Tower last night. The question was how much of it was true and how much was fabricated. By mid-morning, Orion fully expected to hear that he had been kicked out of Gryffindor and had been resorted into Hufflepuff.

As predicted, several groups of Ravenclaws arrived just as the small group at the Hufflepuff table had finished loading their plates with food with a few teachers arrived not to long after. It wasn't surprising to see Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick amongst the first to sit at the Head Table but it was surprising to see Professor Snape. Snape always waited until the last possible moment to arrive for breakfast on the rare occasion that he actually came. Such a change in routine could only mean disaster for those who had potions today.

The Great Hall quickly started to fill with students from all houses. Orion wasn't surprised to see Hermione and Neville entered before any other Gryffindor. It only took a moment for them to pick Orion out of the crowd and hurry over. Both of them looked tired and nervous, increasing Orion's guilt. They had probably stayed up half the night waiting for him to return.

"Orion!" Hermione exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Are you all right? Professor McGonagall wouldn't tell us anything, just that they found you."

"You had a lot of people worried, mate," Neville added. "We wanted to look for you but Percy the Prefect insisted that it was too close to curfew. He passed word to Professor McGonagall but it was actually Fred and George who insisted the teachers search the Hufflepuff Common Room. We all tore Ron apart for what he said. He had no right to say what he did, Ori."

Orion shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "He shouldn't have said what he did and I shouldn't have taken it so personally," he admitted. "Dad faced it every day before Voldemort disappeared and he learned to deal with it."

"But you're nothing like the Malfoys or Lestranges, Orion," Neville countered firmly. "You shouldn't have to deal with it because Ron's being a prat."

"Mr. Black," a stern voice interrupted, causing everyone to look and see Professor McGonagall approaching. "The Headmaster would like to see you immediately."

Orion let out a sigh and nodded. Rising to his feet, Orion met Hermione and Neville's concerned gazed and smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine," he insisted. "Save me a seat in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Orion cast a grateful look at Cedric, earning a nod in return, and followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall. The escort was completely unnecessary since Orion knew the route to the Headmaster's office better than anyone in the castle. All he could conclude was that Professor McGonagall was to be included in the meeting which made Orion cringe. It was never good news when the Headmaster and your Head of House met with you.

When they walked around the corner and stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle, Professor McGonagall turned to face Orion. "Are you feeling better, Orion?" she asked quietly, a gentle look appearing on her face.

Orion couldn't help smiling. "Much better, Professor," he answered. "Cedric helped a lot. I'm sorry for not telling you—"

"—just don't scare us like that again," Professor McGonagall interrupted then looked at the gargoyle. "Lemon drops." The gargoyle sprang to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving slowly upward. Professor McGonagall stepped onto the stairs first and Orion followed suit. "Imagine us having to inform your father that we had lost you."

Orion cringed as the wall closed behind them with a thud. They rose upward in circles not saying a word until they finally reached a gleaming oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. Professor McGonagall rapped on the door and waited for a brief moment until the door opened silently for them to enter. Stepping into the large, circular room, Orion immediately noticed that Professor Dumbledore wasn't alone.

"Hello, kiddo," Sirius Black said as he rose from his seat in front of Dumbledore's desk. "I hear you had quite a night."

Orion stared at Professor Dumbledore in disbelief. "You called my dad?" he asked.

Professor Dumbledore smiled compassionately with a twinkle in his eye from his chair behind his desk. "Actually, your father arrived this morning on Ministry business," he answered pleasantly. "He asked how you were doing and I informed him of last night's activities. Naturally, your father wanted to wait until you arrived to be certain that you were all right."

"I'm fine," Orion insisted. "I just hate it when people compare us to those who are in Azkaban or bought their way out. We're nothing like them."

"As true as that may be, Ori, knowing what side we have aligned ourselves with won't stop others from bringing up that we come from a dark family," Sirius said patiently. "That's the price both of us have to pay for the family I came from. The Black family has cast a long shadow that will take a long time for the wizarding world to move past it."

Orion let out a huff as he sat down on a nearby chair. "I just hate that we have to pay for something we didn't do," he admitted softly, "and it was Ron that said it. Being a Weasley—"

"—young Ronald's words were indeed hurtful, Orion," Professor Dumbledore interrupted serenely, "but they are just words. I just hope that in time you can put this behind you and continue the friendship you have with Ronald and Hayden."

Orion stared at Professor Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow. So that was what this discussion was actually about. "No offense, _Professor_, but I don't see what that has to do with anything," he said evenly. "Hayden and Ron only spend time with us when they need help with their schoolwork."

"Maybe at the current moment," Dumbledore countered.

"Don't push it, Dumbledore," Sirius jumped in as he moved over to Orion's side. "If Hayden wants to be friends with Orion then Hayden will have to make the effort."

Professor Dumbledore shifted his gaze from Orion to Sirius and back to Orion again before letting out a tired sigh. "Very well," he said. "I will not force the issue."

Orion stared at Professor Dumbledore in confusion. He knew he was missing something. Dumbledore never tried to interfere with his choices before. What was so important about being friends with Hayden Potter? It wasn't like he was the only student in the school. Nearly every student would love to be friends with the-boy-who-lived. Hayden just seemed to prefer to spend time with Ron.

Nothing more was said about the matter which surprised Orion. He had expected to receive some sort of punishment even though Professor McGonagall told Orion that some leniency has been taken because Orion had never been told that he couldn't spend time in the Hufflepuff Common Room or dorms anymore. Orion just wished that the rest of the school could as forgetful as the teaching staff.

The tension between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor was at an all time high. Many of the Hufflepuffs saw Orion as one of their own while the Gryffindors took offense that one of their own was being 'protected' by another house. The Ravenclaws mostly kept to themselves although they tended to favor Hufflepuff company over Gryffindor anyways. The Slytherins, on the other hand, took every opportunity to laugh when Ron or Hayden messed up in class because they had lost their tutors.

Ron and Hayden had kept their distance from Orion, Hermione and Neville which was almost a necessity since the Hufflepuff first years had taken it upon themselves to spend as much time with Orion as possible. Hermione enjoyed Susan and Hannah's company while Orion and Neville tried to tolerate Ernie and Justin's bickering. It was alarming how much two people could disagree and still be friends.

As the Quidditch match drew nearer, the focus thankfully shifted from the changes in Orion's friends to the game. Hayden was still playing despite Ron's continued protests. It was well known that Professor Snape was the referee and which caused a split reaction. The majority of the school sympathized with the situation but the Slytherins couldn't hold back their glee. Having Snape referee a Gryffindor game was almost a guarantee for a Gryffindor defeat.

By the morning of the game, every occupant of the Gryffindor Tower could feel the tension rolling of the Quidditch team. In all of the Quidditch games Orion had attended, he had never seen the nervousness and dread that came off the Gryffindor players as they walked to the pitch. It was almost like they had resigned to their fate, something Orion never thought he would see. Since when did Gryffindors give up?

Orion, Hermione and Neville had found their place in the stands next to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Ron wasn't too far away and honestly looked like he was about to be sick. Orion, Neville and Hermione shared a look before shifting their attention to the field. Ron clearly expected the worst and knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. Scanning the crowd, Orion caught an overabundance of white from the teacher's box and let out a loud laugh.

"What is it?" Hermione asked instantly.

Orion looked at her with a large smile on his face. "Professor Dumbledore's here," he said as he pointed to the teacher's box. "I guess he didn't think Professor Snape would be fair either."

Everyone around them immediately looked through their binoculars to the teacher's stand and started cheering. Their courage had been rekindled. Snape wouldn't dare try anything with Professor Dumbledore watching him. Orion dared a glance at Ron and noticed that the first year looked more relaxed than he had in weeks. _As if there was any doubt. Grandad would never let Snape get away with something that would certainly cause even more animosity between the Gryffindors and Slytherins._

Professor Snape, on the other hand, didn't look happy at Professor Dumbledore's arrival.

"I'm glad I'm not down there playing," Neville said quietly. "I don't think I've ever seen Snape look so furious. Look! They're off!"

"Ouch!" Ron shouted.

Orion, Hermione and Neville turned to see Draco standing behind Ron, poking him in the back of the head. Crabbe and Goyle stood slightly behind him, almost daring everyone around to start something. Orion withheld a groan. This wouldn't end well.

"Oh, sorry, Weasley," Draco said, sounding anything but, "didn't see you there."

Orion knew he had to step in and moved to greet Draco with a large smile on his face. "Oh Draco," he said cheerfully. "I can't express how appreciative we all are to see you." Everyone around stared at Orion incredulously. "I mean, it isn't every day that a Slytherin supports the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Draco stared at Orion as if he had grown another head. "What?" he asked softly.

Orion's smile widened. "Coming here in person and showing to the entire school that you wish us all the best of luck is just so…so touching," he said emotionally as he rested his hand against his heart. Chuckles could be heard as everyone around tried to hold in their laughter. "It's times like these that I'm glad to call you my cousin."

Draco's face contorted in anger. His hands were clenched into fists, shaking fiercely. Orion waited with a smile on his face only to watch Draco leave with Crabbe and Goyle to follow him, confusion clearly written on their faces. The moment Draco was out of sight, the entire crowd around Orion burst into laughter and applause. Orion bowed his head politely before rejoining Neville and Hermione just as Snape awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him.

"That…that was amazing, Orion," Hermione said in admiration. "You managed to send Malfoy away without any spells being cast."

Orion shrugged his shoulders as he looked for the Snitch. "It's all a game to Draco," he said seriously. "He enjoys taunting people until they get in trouble for reacting. He's always been that way. I call it the 'Rich and Spoiled Only Child Syndrome'."

"You should have seen him at Ministry functions when we were younger, Hermione," Neville said quietly. "No one liked spending time with him but they felt they had to because of the influence the Malfoy family has. Orion was actually the first to say something about it. How old were we?"

"Seven, I think," Orion said as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for clearly no reason at all. "It was one of my first Ministry appearances without Dad shadowing me the entire time."

Neville nodded then returned his attention to Hermione. "So, Malfoy tried to get Orion in trouble for something he did and Orion just started yelling at Malfoy," he continued. "Orion didn't even know who Malfoy was. He told Malfoy to stop acting like a baby unless he wanted to be dropped off at the child minder room down the hall. Everyone started laughing. I don't think I've ever seen the Malfoy family so embarrassed. They quickly left just as the Minister informed Orion who Malfoy was. Orion just shrugged his shoulders and said, 'I don't care if he's the Prince of England. He doesn't have to act like a prat in public'."

Orion saw a flash of gold by the Ravenclaw stands and followed it as it sharply dropped towards the field. Hayden was still slowly circling the pitch, searching like a hawk. _Come on, Hayden. Turn to the left. _This was one of the most aggravating parts of not being on the team. Seeing the Snitch but not being able to do anything about it.

"Is that why Malfoy doesn't try to pick on Orion like he does with Hayden and Ron?" Hermione asked curiously.

Neville shrugged. "It's hard to say," he said honestly. "After that, Malfoy kept his distance from Orion. We were just grateful that we didn't have to deal with him anymore."

Orion was beyond frustrated. The Snitch had slowed to a stop just behind Professor Snape's head and no one had noticed it yet from either team. How could they not? It was right there! Gryffindor finally scored but Orion's attention was completely on the Snitch that finally took off towards the Hufflepuff goal posts. Just as it shifted upwards, Orion noticed the Hufflepuff Seeker taking off with Hayden following suit.

"Come on, Hayden!" Ron shouted.

Hayden's Nimbus 2000 was certainly a better broom and caught up to the Hufflepuff Seeker quickly. They were flying at high speed side by side following the Snitch's every turn. Everyone was on the edge of their seats as both Seekers dived after the Snitch. Hayden was close enough to reach out and stretched, lowering himself so he was basically lying on the broom.

It was that moment that Professor Snape blew his whistle, and awarded yet another penalty to Hufflepuff. The crowd screamed in protest as the Snitch vanished out of sight. Snape was certainly making a lot of enemies and he didn't seem to care in the slightest. Fred and George looked like they were only seconds away from sending both Bludgers and Professor Snape's head.

"How can Professor Dumbledore allow this?" Hermione asked in outrage. "Hayden nearly had the Snitch!"

Orion shifted his gaze to Professor Dumbledore and was slightly relieved to see that Dumbledore was staring at Snape like he was a child who was just asking to be punished. "Trust me," he said through his teeth. "Professor Dumbledore is definitely going to give Snape a piece of his mind once the game's over."

"_If_ it's ever over," Neville corrected.

It was nearly twenty aggravating minutes before the Snitch was spotted again. There had been no more penalties thankfully but Hufflepuff was currently leading seventy to fifty. Hayden really needed to catch the Snitch and end the game because the majority of the onlookers were minutes away from a nervous breakdown. No Gryffindor had ever felt as powerless as they did now. The entire game rested on the actions of a man who would happily watch Gryffindor's chances at winning the Quidditch cup crash and burn in flames.

When the two Seekers took off towards the Gryffindor goal posts, the entire crowd was on their feet. Orion could only watch as the Snitch veered left, then right, dived, and turned to the right before taking off, soaring far above the heads of the Seekers. Hayden shot upwards sharply, almost too sharply and wavered slightly before extending a hand and wrapping his fingers around the Snitch.

A roar of cheers broke out from the Gryffindors. Gryffindor had won, 200 to 80, securing them in the lead for the Quidditch Cup. The Gryffindor team celebrated on the field, hoisting Hayden up on their shoulders. Orion noticed Professor Snape, standing off to the side, glaring at the spectacle before turning and stalking back to the castle. Watching him go, Orion had to admit that there was so much he didn't understand. Professor Snape had to have had a reason for refereeing the game other than sabotaging Gryffindor's chance at the Quidditch Cup.

That reason, however, eluded Orion no matter how much he thought about it.

* * *

A/N: Okay, just to clarify a few things. Ron's not going to be an absolute jerk in this series. At the moment, he's jealous of Orion and worried that he'll lose his only friend to Orion. Also, Dumbledore's not trying to manipulate anyone. He knows secrets don't remain secrets forever and believes that it would be easier for those involved to handle if Orion and Hayden were friends. 


	8. Trusting Authority

Chapter 8

Trusting Authority

Professor Snape was in a foul mood for the next few weeks, especially towards the Gryffindors although he refrained from taking away house points more than necessary. Orion had a good idea that was Professor Dumbledore's doing. It was well known that Professor Snape was the most biased teacher but Orion understood that someone had to be. Professor Dumbledore and Remus had told Orion years ago about how biased everyone tended to be against the Slytherin house so they needed someone to stand up for them. Professor Snape may have taken it to the extreme but he had kept it to house points and detentions…until the Quidditch game.

In the matter of minutes, Professor Snape had managed to anger Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Professor Sprout, the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs. His unfair refereeing had sent the message that the Hufflepuffs needed help to have a chance at winning, something that offended every member of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team. Fortunately, no one was ridiculing the Hufflepuffs for Professor Snape's actions which made it easier for Orion, Hermione and Neville to spend time with the first year Hufflepuffs whenever they could.

Hayden and Ron still kept their distance from Orion, Neville and Hermione although, according to Seamus and Dean, it was because Ron was too stubborn to apologize. Orion honestly didn't care what the reason was. He was happy with the friends he currently had. He couldn't imagine better best friends than Neville and Hermione or fun loving friends like Ernie, Justin, Susan and Hannah. With the large group, it was easy to forget about the Philosopher's Stone on the third floor for a few hours since it still was a secret kept between Orion, Neville and Hermione.

It was still up for debate whether Professor Snape was after the stone or protecting it. All of the evidence they had was argumentative at best but they had no other suspects. The only possible suspect was Professor Quirrell but how could a man who was afraid of his own shadow take on Fluffy? It just didn't make any sense. The only other option was that a student was trying to steal the stone but that was just as unlikely as Professor Quirrell facing Fluffy.

With the end of the term less than two months away, Hermione started panicking about end of the term exams, leaving Orion and Neville to debate the 'Stone Mystery'. She had already created study schedules and color coded her notes twice. Orion knew that Hermione was itching to have them do the same but Orion already had the highlights of the first three and a half years of Hogwarts education documented in his journals. Neville, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky so Orion took it upon himself to help Neville review. After all, Remus had always said that you don't know how well you know the material until you try to teach it to someone else.

Schoolwork increased drastically, making the library the popular studying spot throughout the Easter holidays. It was hard for Orion to concentrate on his own work with Neville asking questions from one side, Hermione reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood on the other and various other first years asking Orion for help on their work. Hermione was even becoming irritated with the number of interruptions which was saying a lot.

Orion was about ready to call it a day when he saw a familiar face standing in the stacks. "Hagrid!" he said in a loud whisper. "What are you doing here?"

Hagrid quickly looked up and hid something behind his back. He was wearing his moleskin overcoat which made him appear even larger than normal. "Jus' lookin'," he said nervously. "An' what're yeh lot up ter?"

"Schoolwork," Orion said gesturing to the large assortment of books on their table. "What are you looking for? I could help you find—"

"—no!" Hagrid interrupted quickly. "No, that's fine. I've foun' wha' I've been lookin' fer. See yeh later."

Before Orion could even open his mouth, Hagrid shuffled off. Orion, Neville and Hermione shared a confused look before Orion hurried over to the section Hagrid had been in and noticed severaly books missing from one row in particular. Orion groaned as he rejoined Neville and Hermione, slamming his head on the table in the process. "Dragons," he muttered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff on dragons!"

"Is that really surprising?" Neville asked bewildered. "If it's dangerous, Hagrid likes it."

Orion raised his head up and stared at Neville with a raised eyebrow. "You don't understand," he countered. "Hagrid knows the basic information about all magical creatures. If he wanted to know more it would be because he had obtained one."

"You must be joking," Hermione protested. "Where would Hagrid be able to keep a dragon?"

"In the forest?" Neville offered.

"Maybe it's here to protect the stone," Orion said thoughtfully. "Who would even try to get past a bloody dragon? I just can't see Grandad approving of a dragon in the school. How would he explain that to the Board of Governors? '_Sorry someone got burned beyond recognition but I did warn them to stay away from the corridor_'."

Neville snorted while Hermione glared at Orion. "This isn't funny," Hermione said reprovingly. "Someone could get hurt!"

"Orion was being serious, Hermione," Neville said quietly. "Professor Dumbledore wouldn't approve of a dragon in the school because of the risks. So, if Dumbledore didn't approve of it then why is Hagrid looking up information on dragons?"

Orion rubbed his tired eyes before leaning back in his chair. "I suddenly have a bad feeling on what Hagrid's been doing for recreation."

"Shall we schedule a visit?" Neville proposed.

"Most definitely," Orion said with a nod.

* * *

Orion's suspicions only heightened an hour later when they reached Hagrid's hut to see that all of the curtains were closed. Hagrid rarely closed the curtains in all of the time that Orion had spent at Hogwarts. After a loud knock, they glanced nervously at each other when Hagrid called out, "Who is it?" before he let them in and shut the door quickly behind them. Hagrid was always so eager for visitors.

Stepping into the hut, Orion immediately started coughing. It was stifling hot with little to no air circulation. Orion instantly noticed a blazing fire in the grate with a kettle over it adding to the heat from the warm day outside. There could be only one reason that Hagrid would have his hut this warm. "Hagrid, you wouldn't happen to have a dragon egg in here, would you?" Orion asked as casually as he could.

Hagrid suddenly looked like a child caught trying to steal some biscuits. "How did yeh know?" he asked dumbfounded.

Orion just stared at Hagrid with a look that clearly said 'I wasn't born yesterday, you know'. "You know who my uncle is, Hagrid," he said flatly. "I've been learning about magical creatures for years."

Hagrid looks a little sheepish as he sat down at his table. "I s'ppose yeh have a point," he admitted. "I should have known yeh'd figure it out, Orion. Yeh've always been too smart fer yer own good. Listen, I only got it las' night an' I'd be grateful if yeh didn't rat me out."

"But where did you get it, Hagrid?" asked Neville. "It's nearly impossible to get a dragon egg unless you're on a Preserve. It must have cost you a fortune."

"I won it ter be honest," said Hagrid. "I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it."

Orion couldn't refrain from rolling his eyes. "Hagrid, think about it," he said seriously. "Dragons grow to be bigger than Fluffy, they are carnivores and blow fire out of their mouths. Look around! You live in a wood house! How in Merlin's name are you going to keep this a secret?"

Hagrid looked away, deep in thought. "I'll figure it out," he said at last. "I've bin doin' some readin'. It'll be a Norwegian Ridgeback, very rare. I know it'll be a lot of work but I've always wanted a dragon. I'll do the work an' no one'll ever know."

Orion, Hermione and Neville shared a concerned look. This couldn't end well. It just couldn't.

"So Hagrid," Hermione said, changing the subject. "What can you tell us about the protection for the Philosopher's Stone?"

Orion slapped his head against his forehead as Hagrid sputtered and quickly rose to his feet. That certainly hadn't been the way Orion would have brought up the Stone.

"H—how do yeh know about that?" asked Hagrid.

"Research," Neville said with a shrug. "We know Fluffy's guarding it but that can't be all, right?"

Hagrid stared at the three of them for a long moment before he sat back down. "Yeh three are goin' ter be trouble," he muttered angrily. "I jus' know it. Look, yer not s'pposed to know 'bout the Stone. It's safe here. Dumbledore borrowed Fluffy from me an' some o' the teachers did enchantments to protect it."

Orion met Hagrid's gaze. "So there are other obstacles instead of Fluffy?" he asked cautiously. Hagrid nodded allowing Orion to let out a sigh of relief. "That's good." He could already put together what possible obstacles there were. Professor McGonagall would have something with Transfiguration, Professor Flitwick would have something with Charms, Professor Sprout would have something with Herbology, Professor Snape would no doubt have something with Potions and Professor Quirrell…well…Orion was sure it would be something protective.

"Yeh see?" Hadgrid asked. "There's nothin' ter worry 'bout. Only Dumbledore knows how ter get past everything. Not a soul know how ter get past Fluffy except me an' Dumbledore."

"We'll take your word for it, Hagrid," Hermione said then cast a glance to Orion and Neville. "We should really be on our way. We still have lots of schoolwork to finish."

Hagrid bid them farewell and turned his attention to the black egg in the kettle over the fire as they walked out of the hut. The warm day felt rather cold when compared to the blazing heat in Hagrid's hut. Orion had to wonder how someone as big as Hagrid could stand to be in there for so long without collapsing.

As soon as they were far enough away, Orion shook his head sadly and ran his fingers through his hair. This was really the last thing they needed. "That dragon is going to be trouble, I just know it," he said quietly.

"I agree but what can we do?" asked Neville. "We'll get Hagrid in trouble if we say anything."

"What would be better?" Hermione countered. "Getting into a little trouble now or a lot of trouble later? I doesn't matter what Hagrid thinks. He can't keep a dragon in there. It's just not possible."

Orion let out a sigh as they reached the front steps. "Let's give Hagrid a little time to come around," he said quietly. "If he still refuses to see logic then I'll send a letter to my dad. He was a trouble maker when he went to school here. He'd understand."

As they entered the Entrance Hall, Neville stopped and turned to Orion. "You know, when your father wanted you to follow in his footprints, I don't think this was what he had in mind," he said honestly.

Orion smiled. "Oh, I know this wasn't what he had in mind but what can we do?" he asked with a shrug.

Hermione shifted her gaze from Orion to Neville and back to Orion. "One of these days you two are going to explain all this to me, right?" she asked.

Orion's smile widened as he threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders. If Hermione only knew what she had set herself up for. "Hermione Granger, let me tell you the story of a mischievous group called the Marauders…"

Hours later, Hermione was staring at Orion with a look of utter disbelief on her face. Orion knew it would be a shock to hear how intense the pranks became and how ingenious the Marauders actually were. It had been difficult to reveal that James Potter and Peter Pettigrew had once been Marauders since they had both betrayed Orion's father and uncle in one way or another. Neville had thankfully jumped in to briefly explained about Pettigrew's betrayal to the Potters and how that was the beginning of the rift between Sirius, Remus and James.

"So that's why you don't like the Potters?" Hermione asked quietly.

Orion shrugged. "There are a lot of little things that I know about and probably a lot more that I don't," he admitted. "The Potters hurt my dad and my uncle badly after Harry Potter died. My dad still refuses to talk about it."

Neville let out a snort. "Like the Potters were the only people hurting," he muttered angrily. "According to my mum, Sirius was Hayden and Harry's godfather. In the blink of an eye, Sirius lost one godson and was forbidden to see the other."

"I read about the Potters losing one of their sons but it didn't say how Harry died," Hermione said looking at Orion and Neville hopefully.

"That's because not much was known about the-boy-who-lived's twin," Neville said with a shrug. "I know he was sick an awful lot. The Potters usually left Harry home when there was a public function so many didn't even know about Harry until he died. The 'official' story was that Harry finally lost the battle against the damage he received the night You-Know-Who attacked the Potters—"

"—and by 'official' Neville means that was what was published in the 'Daily Prophet' so that's what everyone believes," Orion finished then looked around and noticed that the library was actually quite bare. "Er—perhaps we should call it a night and maybe grab some food from the kitchens on our way to the Gryffindor Tower."

As quickly as possible, Orion, Hermione and Neville packed up their nearly finished assignments and hurried out of the library. They nearly reached the kitchen when Hermione broke the silence. "Wait a minute, do you mean to say that the 'Daily Prophet' printed a lie?" she asked. "That's against the law!"

Orion and Neville shared a knowing look before Neville threw his arm around Hermione's shoulders. "All right then," said Neville. "It's time for lesson number two: the way the wizarding world actually works."

* * *

A monster had been unleashed. Once Orion and Neville had started, there was no stopping Hermione's questions concerning the wizarding world. She had been appalled to hear how the wizarding world operated. The truth wasn't always printed and rarely mattered. Hermione's believe in the written word had been severely shattered leaving her to grasp at the first hand knowledge Orion and Neville had. After all, books, magazines and newspapers were written by people with beliefs and opinions.

It wasn't until breakfast one morning when Hedwig arrived with a note from Hagrid that Orion remembered one important problem. There was still a dragon egg on Hogwarts grounds. Casting an uneasy glance at Neville, Orion opened the note before letting out a groan and passing it on to Neville. Neville paled before passing the note onto Hermione who gasped.

"It's hatching?" Hermione whispered to Orion and Neville. "What are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" Neville asked desperately. "Hagrid obviously isn't going to listen to reason."

Orion ran a hand over his face. Neville had a very good point. Once the dragon came out of the egg, Hagrid would never part with it. Orion pulled out a quill, parchment and ink to write a quick letter to his father and uncle. Out of all of the people he knew, they were the only ones who could possibly understand and not get Hagrid in trouble. When Orion finished the note, he looked up to see Hedwig holding her leg out, her head tilted slightly as if to say 'you need me and you know it'.

"This is very important, Hedwig," Orion said as he tied the note onto her leg. "Fly as fast as you can and make sure Dad or Remus read it. We'll be waiting for their reply."

Hedwig let out a hoot before taking off and vanishing into the sunlight. With nothing else to do but wait, Orion, Neville and Hermione made their way to Herbology. For the entire lesson, they worked in silence, fearful to say anything and risk being overheard. Once the bell sounded, Orion motioned to Hagrid's hut and led the way through the grounds to the edge of the forest. The moment they reached the hut, Hagrid opened the door looking incredibly excited.

"It's nearly out," Hagrid said as he ushered them inside.

The egg had been moved to the center of the table. There were deep cracks all over it and it was clear that something was actually moving inside it. Orion, Neville and Hermione immediately pulled up chairs and sat down, eagerness and nervousness clear on each of their faces. It was a rare thing to actually see a dragon egg hatch. Nesting mothers were normally so protective over their eggs that it was usually several weeks before anyone could catch even a glimpse of a youngling.

Their only warning was a scraping noise before the egg split open to reveal a tiny black dragon. It had spiny wings that dwarfed its skinny jet body, a long snout with wide nostrils, stubs of horns that were a normal characteristic for a Norwegian Ridgeback, and bulging orange eyes. Orion leaned forward slightly to get a better look when the dragon sneezed and a couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid said affectionately as he reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head only to have the dragon snap at the fingers. "Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!"

Orion stared at Hagrid incredulously. "Hagrid, it tried to bite you," he pointed out. "Dragon bites are poisonous. You can't keep him here like this! This is only asking for trouble!"

"Nonsense," Hagrid said nonchalantly before looking up and paling. Without a word, he leapt to his feet and ran to the window.

"What's wrong, Hagrid?" asked Hermione.

Hagrid let out a sigh as he moved back to his chair and sat down. "Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains…it was two boys…they're runnin' back up ter the school."

Orion and Neville hurried to the door and looked out to see a tall redhead running beside a shorter, messy haired boy. There was no mistaking it. Hayden and Ron had seen the dragon. Orion turned and looked at Hagrid. "The secret's out, Hagrid," he said firmly. "I've already sent a letter to my dad. Let's just hope he can figure out something before the Ministry finds out."

Hagrid's shoulders sagged as his gaze fell to the floor.

"We should be going," Neville said quietly. "We need to find out why Hayden and Ron were here and what they're going to do."

"Take care, Hagrid," Hermione said as she rose to her feet, "and be careful. We'll visit as soon as we learn anything."

A quiet goodbye was all they received as they left the hut and hurried back to the castle. All Orion could do was silently hope that his father would be able to help them. With final exams around the corner, worrying about Hagrid's temporary pet was the last thing they needed.

Unfortunately, it was nearly dinner before Orion was able to corner Hayden. Ron had thankfully hurried back to the Gryffindor Tower. Hermione and Neville had followed him, preparing to distract him until Orion had finished with Hayden. To say that Hayden was not pleased to be pulled into an empty classroom was an understatement but Hayden really couldn't do anything since Orion had his wand out and ready.

"Why were you spying on us?" Orion demanded as he closed the door. "What did you see and who have you told?"

Hayden instantly put his hands up as a sign of surrender. "We won't tell anyone, Orion," he insisted. "We wouldn't do that to Hagrid. Ron just thought you all were up to something. He's been incredibly suspicious of you ever since that mess with Snape."

Orion stared at Hayden with a raised eyebrow. "Why would he be suspicious of me?" he asked. "I haven't done anything."

Hayden ran a hand through his unruly hair, making it even messier. "I honestly don't know," he said with a shrug. "I don't know what Ron has against you. It's like he's just looking for some reason to prove that you're not—er—you. I've tried to make him stop, I really have. He just won't listen to me."

Orion let out a snort as he enfolded his arms across his chest. "Right," he said sarcastically. "So as long as Ron acts like a prat, you just accept it and follow him around like a helpless puppy."

Hayden's face scrunched up in anger. "You don't know how it is!" he exclaimed. "Ron's my first friend! You have no idea how hard it is to come to school and know no one! You already had your friends! You knew everything about the school!"

"This has nothing to do with how many friends I have or our different upbringings," Orion shot back. "This is about standing up for what you believe is right. You made your choice. You chose to be friends with Ron even though you know he's wrong. You follow him even though you don't share his opinions." Orion re-holstered his wand and shook his head slowly. "Do what you want. I really don't care just don't spy on us anymore. Next time, I won't be afraid to use magic."

Orion turned to leave. He had no doubt Hermione and Neville were probably nearly running out of options as it was.

"Wait!" Hayden pleaded. "Please, Orion. I do miss hanging around with you, Hermione and Neville. I just can't abandon Ron. I'll try harder to make him see that you're not a Slytherin in disguise." Hayden rubbed his hands together nervously as his gaze fell. "A lot of people here only see me as the-boy-who-lived. I hate that more than you could possibly know."

Orion could believe that. He had a feeling that the entire Potter family had finally moved past the celebrity craze if James Potter's attitude on Platform 9 ¾ was anything to go by. _Perhaps now he'll see all of the damage he's done and apologize to Dad._ "Then speak up, Hayden," Orion said seriously. "Make your opinion known. If people are true friends then they will accept you for who you are and what you believe in."

Hayden opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the door flying open and Ron rushing into the room with Hermione and Neville following him. Ron took one glance at the situation and immediately turned to Orion, ready to attack. "I knew you couldn't be trusted," Ron spat.

"Ron!" Hayden yelled earning a shocked look from everyone. "Shut up! This has gone too far! Orion just wanted to talk to me and he made a very good point. I'm tired of the way you've been treating Orion. He's my friend. I don't care who he's related to and you shouldn't either. All purebloods are related, you know that. We are probably related to the Malfoys too."

Ron's ears went pink as he muttered something under his breath before looking away. Orion and Hayden shared a glance before Orion motioned to Neville and Hermione to leave. Without a word being said, Orion followed Neville and Hermione out of the room. This was between Ron and Hayden now. Having observers would only make it more uncomfortable.

"That must've been some talk," Neville said in amazement as they walked to the Great Hall.

Orion rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I guess," he admitted. "I didn't know Hayden thought that much of me."

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked gently. Orion looked at her in confusion. "Considering the problems with your families?"

Orion shrugged his shoulders again. What could he do? "It isn't right to take it out on Hayden," he answered. "Hayden doesn't even know what happened. I doubt he knows that my dad is his godfather. Mr. and Mrs. Potter have done what they could to keep the past in the past."

"It actually explains a lot," Neville said thoughtfully. "From the moment Hayden arrived here, it was almost like everything completely overwhelmed him."

"Spending years in seclusion will do that to you," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "It's surprising though. You would think that the Potters would do everything to prepare Hayden for what awaited him."

"They made a choice," Neville said simply. "You see it a lot with families that have been affected by the war. They either prepare their children for the worst or shelter them from everything. Orion is exhibit 'A' and Hayden is exhibit 'B'."

Orion stared at Neville with a raised eyebrow. "Which one are you?" he asked curiously.

Neville ginned at Orion. "Neither," he said. "I was protected from harming myself. Why do you think Mum encouraged my interest in Herbology? It was the only subject that didn't risk my safety or anyone else's."

Orion couldn't help laughing. That was certainly the truth. Neville's clumsiness had kept everyone on their toes, especially when magic was being used. Orion remembered visiting the Longbottoms when he was younger and seeing all of the precautious Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom had taken. Unbreakable charms had been placed on nearly everything within Neville's reach, something that Neville had actually put to the test and laughed about repeatedly.

They reached the Entrance Hall and moved to the end of the line of students slowly filtering into the Great Hall for dinner. Orion had to admit that he, like everyone else, had misjudged Hayden Potter. It was easy to forget that Hayden was just like everyone else and gave into peer pressure like everyone else. Orion knew he still had a lot to learn about people. One of the larger lessons was that just because he wouldn't do something didn't mean others wouldn't either.

"Orion!"

Orion quickly turned around in surprise to see his father walking towards him still dressed in his Auror robes. "Dad?" he asked in confusion before stepping out of line and hurrying towards Sirius. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

Sirius stared at Orion with a raised eyebrow. "Son, you said you needed Padfoot's help," he said quietly. "You never ask for Padfoot's help. When you ask for Moony and Padfoot, we knew something is really wrong." Sirius glanced around and noticed that quite a few people were watching them. "Come on, Ori. I believe Dumbledore's waiting for us."

"What?" Orion asked in surprise as Sirius tried to usher him towards the moving staircases. "But Dad—"

"Trust me, son," Sirius insisted as they began walking. "I've learned through experience that sometimes it's best to utilize the connections you have. Your grandfather would never do anything that would get Hagrid in trouble. He would want to know how Hagrid managed to obtain such a rare item but he wouldn't do anything other than reprimand Hagrid for making a poor decision."

Orion let out a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. He had a feeling that was probably what Hagrid was afraid of. Hagrid idolized Professor Dumbledore. After all, Dumbledore had been the only one to give Hagrid a chance after Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts nearly fifty years ago. Orion didn't know the details of Hagrid's expulsion. He just knew Dumbledore believed in Hagrid's innocence enough to employ him as groundskeeper and that was enough for Orion.

"Did I interrupt something at work?" Orion asked cautiously as they stepped on the moving staircase.

Sirius chuckled as he ruffled Orion's hair. "Actually, you rescued me from a boring lecture," he said good-naturedly. "And how about you? Did I interrupt something between you and your friends?"

Orion shook his head as they turned off onto the second floor and continued towards Professor Dumbledore's office. "I sort of cornered Hayden and we had a few words," he admitted.

"I see," Sirius said as they reached the stone gargoyle. "Who swung first?"

"Dad!" Orion cried indignantly. "Give me a little credit. I had my wand on him before he even had the chance to think about trying to hit me."

Sirius grinned. "That's my boy," he said proudly. "Licorice Wands." The gargoyle sprang to life allowing Sirius and Orion to step on the moving staircase. "However, since you aren't in Dumbledore's office receiving a detention, I'll assume that no spells were actually cast."

Orion nodded as the wall closed behind them. "We just talked," he insisted. "He's really lonely, Dad, but there's nothing I can do until Ron stops thinking I'm a spy for the Slytherins."

Sirius enfolded his arms across his chest and stared at Orion with a raised eyebrow. "That boy is still harassing you?" he asked. "Why haven't you said anything in your letters?"

"He's not harassing me," Orion protested. "If we keep our distance then everything's fine."

Sirius continued to stare. "You mean if you stay away from Hayden," he clarified as they reached the top of the stairs. "Orion, it's obvious that the Weasley boy is afraid of you taking away his only friend. Why hasn't something been done to knock some sense into him?"

Orion let out tired sigh. _If only you knew how many times I wanted to do just that, Dad._ "Fred and George wanted to prank him but I figured it would only make everything worse," Orion said honestly. "Moony's stories about how you all picked on Professor Snape taught me that much."

Sirius let out a sigh as he rapped on the oak door. "I should have known having Moony in charge of 'story time' would come back to bite me in the arse one day," he muttered under his breath but Orion heard him clearly.

The door opened silently as Orion cast his father one last pleading look only to receive a knowing glance from his father. Letting out a sigh, Orion followed Sirius into Professor Dumbledore's circular office only to see that Dumbledore already had company. Sitting in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk was Remus with Orion's letter in his hand. Nothing was said as Sirius ushered a nervous Orion to the open seat beside Remus leaving Sirius to move behind Orion and place a reassuring hand on Orion's shoulder.

"There is no reason to be nervous, my boy," Professor Dumbledore said pleasantly. "You were right to contact your father. Hagrid's recent acquisition would certainly be a danger to the students in as soon as a few weeks. I will be speaking to Hagrid after dinner to gather his side of the story and arrange for his pet's relocation."

"I've already contacted Charlie Weasley, Orion," Remus added. "He's organizing a crew to come and pick the dragon up. Of course, Charlie had one request. He would like you, Orion, to be present when they pick the dragon up. Apparently, Charlie hasn't heard from you in a while."

Orion cringed slightly. That was certainly an understatement. Both Bill and Charlie had sent letters to 'little Ori' after they left Hogwarts but the letters had gradually come to an end. Orion had understood that Bill and Charlie had moved on with training for their jobs and their new lives. Perhaps he had been wrong. "Er—sure," Orion said at last. "If that's what Charlie wants."

Professor Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair. "Young Mr. Weasley would not have asked otherwise, Orion," he said pleasantly. "Now, we know what you wrote in your letter but I would like to hear the entire story from your point of view."

Orion let out a sigh as he made himself comfortable. This was going to take a while.

* * *

A/N: Okay. This chapter definitely had a mind of its own. I had actually planned on it following the book but oh well. 


	9. Acceptance

Chapter 9

Acceptance

When Orion had entered the Great Hall just as dessert was being served, he was immediately bombarded with questions from Hermione and Neville. Both of them were relieved to hear that the matter was being taken care of. It was then that Neville and Hermione revealed what Orion had missed. One their way to the Great Hall, Hayden and Ron ran into Malfoy resulting in detention for each of them along with points deducted from their houses. Orion cast a cautious glance over at Hayden and Ron who seemed to be spending more time stabbing their food than eating it.

The next few days could have been worse. Ron was still extremely upset about receiving detention but at least he blamed the entire thing on Malfoy and not on Orion. There was a tense acceptance between Hayden and Ron. Hayden was determined to have friends other than Ron. If Ron wanted to remain friends with Hayden, he needed to keep his comments to himself which proved to be a challenge since Hayden preferred to spend time with Orion, Neville and Hermione.

The confrontation between Orion and Hayden had brought everything out in the open. Orion now realized how insecure Hayden felt about everything, not just being the-boy-who-lived. Hayden had been completely sheltered by his parents ever since his twin's death in every way. He didn't know how to handle bullies, teachers with grudges, unwanted attention or jealousy from friends so he just followed what those around him did. It wasn't cowardice. It was ignorance.

Charlie Weasley arrived nearly a week after the dragon hatched right as dinner started. Orion had a feeling that the timing was planned on Charlie's part in order to be invited to join in. Charlie, who was built short and stocky like the twins, had been immediately pulled to sit between his brothers a few spots away from Orion. Fred and George wasted no time filling Charlie in on everything…including Ron's behavior towards Charlie's honorary little brother. Orion kept his eyes on his food and tried to ignore the curious stares Charlie kept giving him. He had hoped that little fact had been kept secret for a little while longer.

As soon as dinner ended, Orion nearly flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't have to look up to know that it was Charlie's. After a nervous farewell to Neville and Hermione, Orion walked out of the Great Hall with Charlie, his mind already working to think of something to calm Charlie down.

Charlie broke the silence first. "I hear my little brother is being a prat," he said nonchalantly as they walked through the Entrance Hall.

Orion shrugged. "Ron and I just don't agree on much," he said truthfully. "We see things from different points of view."

Charlie snorted as they exited the castle and walked down the stone steps. The cloudy night made everything seem so much darker than usual. They could barely see the courtyard much less Hagrid's Hut. "Right," Charlie said dryly as he pulled out his wand, light appearing immediately at the tip. "Ori, I know my brother. Ron's always been slightly resentful for all of the short comings in his life. We are purebloods yet we can't live the pureblood life. He's the youngest brother therefore he will never be the _first_ to accomplish something. Mum and Dad have worked hard to make us see that there's more to life than material things. I guess Ron just failed to listen."

"Did you listen to everything your parents said when you were eleven?" Orion asked as they walked through the courtyard. "Charlie, there's a lot of things that add to Ron's attitude. It's hard to be the perfect child when Draco is strutting around like he owns Hogwarts. I'm not saying Ron's behavior is justifiable. I just think he needs to find different outlet."

Charlie burst out laughing as he pulled Orion close. "Ori, sometimes you sound older than me," he said good-naturedly. "Have you been reading your father's case files again?"

Orion shrugged his shoulders. "Only the ones I'm allowed to read," he said honestly. "You can't be a Black and not know about prejudice or the reasons behind it but enough about this. It's over with and I'm handling it. How's Romania?"

Charlie stared at Orion with a raised eyebrow for a moment before answering. "The only way to describe it is an adventure," he said with a smile as they reached Hagrid's Hut. "Monitoring creatures nearly half the size of the Quidditch Stadium certainly keeps you on your toes." Flashing a knowing wink, Charlie knocked on the door.

"Jus' a minute!" Hagrid said from inside. A lot of shuffling could be heard making Orion wonder if the dragon was roaming around inside. When the door finally opened, a teary eyed Hagrid greeted them. "I jus' finished putin' 'im in his crate. He's got lots o' rats an' some brandy fer the journey an' I've packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely."

Charlie smiled as he entered with Orion following him, ignoring the ripping noises from the crate on the table. It sounded like the dragon didn't think of the teddy bear as a comfort toy. "That will certainly make it easier for us," he said professionally. "My co-workers are waiting at the gates. We should have the dragon at the preserve by this time tomorrow."

"Norbert," Hagrid corrected softly. "His name is Norbert."

Orion stared at Hagrid incredulously. That was probably one of the strangest names to call a Norwegian Ridgeback. Of course this was coming from Hagrid so Orion figured it wasn't too surprising. Hagrid had named a large three-headed dog 'Fluffy' of all things.

With a wave of his wand, Charlie levitated the crate as he rested his other hand on Hagrid's arm. "I know this is hard, Hagrid," he said sympathetically, "but this is what's best. A dragon should really be with his own kind, away from children."

Hagrid nodded dejectedly before bidding a tearful goodbye to 'Norbert'. Orion could tell that Hagrid's heart was breaking and was glad they left as soon as they did. He hadn't been prepared to witness Hagrid crying his eyes out, telling a dragon that his 'Mummy' would never forget him. Some things were just too weird.

With the crate floating in front of them, Charlie walked Orion back to the courtyard before bidding farewell with a promise to write. Orion returned the promise before hurrying back to the castle. The last thing he needed was to be caught by Filch for breaking curfew.

To say that the atmosphere in the Gryffindor Common Room was tense when Orion returned was an understatement. The Weasley twins had Ron cornered by the fireplace and none of them looked happy. Neville, Hermione and Hayden were sitting nearby although it looked like they were waiting for an excuse to leave. Orion realized he was their excuse the moment they jumped to their feet, grabbed him and pulled him up the stairs to the first year boy's dormitory.

As Neville closed the door, Orion suddenly had a good idea what was going on between the Weasley brothers downstairs. He collapsed on his bed and let out a frustrated sigh. This was really starting to become tiresome. "What happened now?" Orion asked tiredly.

"Charlie gave Fred and George permission to 'discipline' Ron," Neville answered cautiously. "Fred and George are giving Ron 'the rules' right now. They won't do anything unless Ron starts acting like a prat again but if he does…"

"Ron knew he was in trouble, Orion," Hayden added. "He told me that he's heard his brothers talk about 'little Ori' for years. I think that's why he's like he is. He thought his brothers liked you better than him. You were something he had to compete against for years."

Orion stared at Hayden with a raised eyebrow. That actually made a lot of sense. There was enough competition for attention in the Weasley family without adding in an additional child that seemed to get along with everyone in the family. "When did he tell you this?" asked Orion.

Hayden let out a sigh as he sat down on the bed across from Orion. "A week ago," he admitted. "I told him to talk to you but I think he's embarrassed."

"Well, it makes sense if you think about it," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Ron comes from a very big family. We're all only children except for Hayden who has _one_ sister. We probably won't completely understand Ron's reasoning because we've never been in that situation."

Orion had to admit that Hermione had a point. Regardless of how many 'honorary' family members Orion had, the truth was that he really had no family but his father and a few distant cousins. The rest of his distant family thought of him as nothing more than a blood traitor. Orion suddenly felt a surge of jealousy. Ron Weasley had the one thing Orion had always wanted and could only complain about it. Didn't he see that having such a large, loving family was a rarity in the wizarding world?

Obviously not.

* * *

Tension was replaced with acceptance. Even though the situation was never brought up again, Orion and Ron had reached a silent agreement. Both of them made the effort to be friendlier to each other and leave the past where it belonged. It was the best for everyone since exams were right around the corner. Every free moment was spent in the library except for the late night study sessions in the Gryffindor Common Room to help Hayden after Quidditch practices.

Despite appearances, Orion knew everything wasn't all smiles between Hayden and Ron. There had been several occasions when Orion had spotted them huddled in a corner quietly arguing only to immediately stop when Orion, Hermione or Neville approached. Hermione found it extremely irritating and was even more irked when Orion just shrugged the behavior off. He didn't care that Hayden and Ron wanted to keep something a secret. He had plenty of his own secrets that he didn't want them finding out.

It was a week before the end of the term when Hayden and Ron received notes from Professor McGonagall at breakfast. They were to serve their detention at eleven o'clock that night. Orion thought it was strange that the detention was being served so long after the crime but perhaps Professor McGonagall had just been waiting for something that would make Hayden, Ron and Draco think twice before fighting again.

That night, Orion, Hermione and Neville wished Hayden and Ron luck as they packed up their books for the night. As they left, Orion thought he saw Ron look rather pale but figured that was because they were meeting the Filch in the Entrance Hall. They would have the joy of listening to the caretaker rant on his wishes for medieval punishments to return.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Orion stared at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "It's detention, Hermione," he said seriously. "What's the worst Filch could do?" Hermione and Neville stared at Orion incredulously. "All right," Orion added cautiously. "I meant what's the worse Filch could do _legally_ and not lose his job in the process. Hayden's the-boy-who-lived. Professor Dumbledore would never allow it."

"I suppose you have a point," Hermione said before bidding goodnight and heading up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.

Orion and Neville could only shrug before heading up to their own dorm room. Honestly. What type of school did Hermione think this was? Filch grumbled about torturing students and Professor Snape sometimes threatened to poison the 'dunderheads' but it was all talk. Right?

Unfortunately for Orion, he had plenty of time to wonder that night. He tossed and turned in bed for nearly an hour only to be hit with a piercing headache that halted any thought of falling asleep. It felt like something was digging into his brain and the starting point was the old scar he had on his forehead. Orion knew that was impossible. Scars didn't cause pain. When the pain intensified, Orion grudgingly retreated to the Gryffindor Common to find something to serve as a distraction.

The only light in the Common Room came from the slowly dying fire in the large fireplace. Collapsing in an armchair nearby, Orion slowly rubbed his forehead, silently pleading for the pain to go away. He could already feel it decreasing slightly. The 'digging' wasn't as deep anymore. It was almost like the 'digger' was retreating ever so slowly until he suddenly vanished. Letting out a sigh of relief, Orion sagged against the back of the armchair. Whatever that was, he never wanted to feel it again.

The sound of the portrait entrance opening startled Orion out of his thoughts. Looking up, Orion was surprised to see Hayden and Ron hurrying into the Common Room as if something had been chasing them. From their disheveled appearances, Orion gathered they had served detention in the forest which was surprising. _Unless Hagrid was with them._

"Orion!" Hayden said in surprise as he pulled off his cloak. "What are you doing down here?"

Orion stared at Hayden with a raised eyebrow. His father normally used that tone when Orion walked in on an 'adult conversation'. "I had a headache and didn't want to wake anyone up," he said as he rose to his feet. "I was just leaving so feel free to talk about whatever it is you don't want anyone to know about."

As Orion walked to the staircase, he could hear Hayden and Ron arguing quietly before Hayden spoke up. "Orion, wait," Hayden pleaded. "Maybe you could help. You know a lot more about Hogwarts than we do." Orion shrugged his shoulders before returning to his chair. Hayden cast a glace at Ron before moving to the chair across from Orion. "We had detention with Hagrid in the forest tonight," Hayden began. "Something's out there killing unicorns and drinking their blood."

Orion leaned forward, his eyes widening in interest. It was considered one of the highest crimes in the wizarding world to kill something as pure as a Unicorn. To take the blood by force would keep the drinker alive even if they were on the verge of dying but would give then a cursed life. To be that desperate, Orion could only think of one person who would go so far to avoid death. "Voldemort is in the forest," he said quietly.

Ron flinched as he sat down beside Hayden while Hayden's jaw dropped. "How did you know?" asked Hayden.

"I grew with bedtime stories of either my dad when he was a student here or the types of creatures in the forest," Orion answered truthfully as he rubbed the back of his neck. "This is bad. For Voldemort to take such a risk…he must have something planned." _Like taking the Stone to regain his body._ "Is Hagrid going to tell Professor Dumbledore?"

Hayden and Ron shifted in their seats. "Er—well, Hagrid wasn't there when Firenze, a centaur we met, talked to us," Hayden said nervously. "When he came, he just wanted to get us out of the forest so we didn't bring it up."

Orion stared at Hayden incredulously. "You didn't tell Hagrid that the most dangerous Dark Lord in nearly fifty years was on Hogwarts grounds?" he hissed. "You have to tell Hagrid. You have to tell Professor Dumbledore! They have to know there's been a breach in security!"

Hayden and Ron looked extremely uncomfortable. It was clear that they hadn't even considered telling anyone about what happened. Orion wanted to slam his head into something. How could they be so thick? Defenses needed to be set! The Ministry needed to be contacted! Letting out a sigh, Orion ran a hand over his face and tried to bury his frustration. Hayden and Ron hadn't been raised by an Auror like he had. They didn't know Professor Dumbledore as well as he did.

"Look," Orion said as calmly as he could, "Professor Dumbledore needs to know. Just tell him what happened so he can keep the school protected."

"Why can't you tell him?" asked Ron. There was no denying the nervousness in Ron's voice. "He'd believe you."

"But I wasn't there," Orion countered. "Professor Dumbledore will want to know exactly what happened. He'll need details." Rising to his feet, Orion met their stares and shrugged helplessly. "I can't give him that. You can. Professor Dumbledore doesn't bite. You have nothing to be afraid of."

"That's easy for you to say," Ron scoffed as he enfolded his arms across his chest. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Orion's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "Neither did you," he said. "I know Professor Dumbledore can be intimidating because he's accomplished so much but he's actually really easy to talk to. Just tell Professor McGonagall you need to see him and she'll arrange it, all right?"

Hayden and Ron shared an uncomfortable glance before nodding. Letting out a sigh of relief, Orion bid goodnight and retreated to bed. As much as Orion didn't want to admit it, everything was falling into place. The traitor, whoever it was, was after the stone for Voldemort to bring him back to full power. Orion had read enough about Voldemort's first reign to know everything needed to be done to prevent a second. The problem was revealing his theory would probably cause the traitor and Voldemort to flee leaving them back where they started with no actual proof that Voldemort was actually alive.

No. Orion knew he had to wait for Voldemort to make the first move but that didn't mean he would react hastily. He may be advanced for his age but he wasn't advanced enough to take on a fully trained wizard and a dark lord. Orion knew he would need help; his father's help. He just hoped that his father would believe him.

* * *

A/N: Not much happening in this chapter but it was the logical place to end it considering what happens next. 


	10. Through the Trap Door

Chapter 10

Through the Trap Door

Orion had no idea how he was able to concentrate on exams with everything else on his mind. Hermione and Neville had been shocked to hear about Hayden and Ron's detention from Orion since Hayden and Ron refused to talk about it. Orion had wanted to ask Hayden if he had talked to Professor Dumbledore but Hayden and Ron were once again avoiding the topic at all costs. Ron had insisted that everything was under control but, for some reason, Orion didn't believe him.

The warm days made taking the written portion of the exams nearly unbearable. Each student had been given a special bewitched quill to prevent cheating, much to the horror of a certain group of Slytherins. The practical exams had been even more nerve-wracking. They were asked to make a pineapple tap-dance in Charms, turn a mouse into a snuffbox in Transfiguration and make a Forgetfulness Potion perfectly in Potions.

To add to everything else, the intense headaches had decided to stick around, intensifying even more at the most frustrating times. Orion was tempted to go to Madam Pomfrey but he didn't think she would be able to help him. These weren't _normal_ headaches. Normal headaches don't center on one particular spot at the forehead. Normal headaches don't linger for an entire week.

The conclusion of their final exam couldn't come soon enough. History of Magic had been one of the classes Orion wished he could test out of. The ghost of Professor Binns hadn't even covered half of the questions on the test. Orion noticed a lot of students struggling and was glad Remus had taught him so much.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," Hermione said as they walked out of the castle and onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager—"

"Hermione," Neville interrupted tiredly as they ventured towards the lake. "We know you would have learned about everything whether you had to or not. Just let it go for now. Give us a week to relax before our fate is revealed."

Orion grinned as he rubbed his aching forehead. Although he wouldn't openly admit it, he was looking forward to a carefree week as well. Perhaps that was what he needed to make the blasted headaches go away. "Come on, Neville," Orion said good-naturedly. "Don't tell me you're not looking forward to some recreational reading now that the Herbology section in the library will be fully stocked again."

Neville perked up as they flopped under a tree near where the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "I suppose," he said thoughtfully then looked around. "Any idea where Hayden and Ron ran off too?"

Orion shrugged as he dug his knuckles into his forehead, trying to massage the pain away. At the moment, he didn't really care.

"Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey, Ori," Hermione offered. "You never know. These headaches could be the start of something more serious."

Orion shrugged again. "It's probably just stress, Hermione," he said offhandedly.

"You know it's possible," Neville proposed. "My mum gets stress headaches all the time. Think about it. With exams, the Stone and You-Know-Who, I'm amazed Ori's still on his feet."

"Thanks, Neville," Orion said dryly. "Your confidence in me is overwhelming."

"You know, I do wonder sometimes," Hermione said thoughtfully. "From what I've read, obtaining a dragon egg through the black market is very dangerous and expensive. Particular breeds can be sold for thousands of Galleons."

"What's your point?" Neville asked in confusion.

Orion signed. "Hermione's point is that no one in their right mind would just give a dragon egg away," he answered. "I've been thinking about it too. It just seems too coincidental. Hagrid's always wanted a dragon and along comes someone who just happens to have one, willing to give it away for free. I wonder…"

Neville let out a groan. "I don't like that look on your face, Ori," he said cautiously. "You always have that look when you channel your dad."

Orion rolled his eyes as he rose to his feet. "Well, think about it," he said plainly. "What if the dragon egg was simply an object to—well—break the ice? What if what the 'stranger' really wanted was information on Hagrid's other pets including a certain three-headed dog?"

"But Hagrid would never!" Hermione protested.

"Hagrid talks more than he should, Hermione," Neville groaned as he rose to his feet. "He never should have told us about Nicholas Flamel but he let it slip. He could have let something slip about Fluffy." He shot Orion a resigned look. "So what do we do now?"

"We need to talk to Hagrid," Orion said quickly as he extended a hand to Hermione and helped her to her feet. "If he did tell anyone how to get past Fluffy then we need to tell Professor Dumbledore." He turned and ran towards Hagrid's Hut, Neville and Hermione scrambling after him.

They ran up the grassy slope and across the grounds to the forest. Even from a distance they could see Hagrid sitting in an armchair outside his house. As they drew closer they could see Hagrid's trousers and sleeves were rolled up as he shelled peas into a large bowl. They were nearly there when Hagrid looked up and smiled widely at them.

"Hullo!" he said. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Not right now, Hagrid," Orion answered between gasped breaths. "We were just wondering about the dra—Norbert. What did the stranger look like?"

Hagrid shrugged. "Dunno," he said casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off. It's not that unusual. Yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."

Orion, Hermione and Neville shared a concerned look. "Hagrid," Hermione began carefully, "you didn't happen to mention any of your—well—pets, did you?"

"Well, yeah," Hagrid said, frowning at the question. "He wanted to know if I'd be able ter take care o' a dragon. He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after so I told him…an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon an' then…I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks…Let's see…yeah, then he said he had the dragon eff an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted."

"Did you mention Fluffy?" Neville asked nervously.

Hagrid shrugged again. "O' course," he said. "Not many three-headed dogs 'round. I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy. B'sides, all you need to know is how to calm the creature down. Take Fluffy for example, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep—" Hagrid's face quickly changed to a look of horror. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it!"

"Right, we'll forget it," Orion said quickly. "See you later, Hagrid."

They took off towards the castle before Hagrid could stop them. Orion didn't miss the odd glances given by relaxing students as he ran by. He had to admit that it probably did look strange to see three first years running towards the castle as if a troll was chasing them on a day like today but they didn't have time to be subtle. Time was of the essence.

They came to an abrupt halt once they entered the gloomy Entrance Hall. Without saying a word, Neville and Hermione followed Orion's lead to Professor Dumbledore's office. The moving staircases were a little tricky resulting in Neville getting stuck in a trick stair. Once they reached the stone gargoyle, however, their journey hit an abrupt halt. No sweet Orion could think of granted passage to Professor Dumbledore's office. Frustrated, they hurried to Professor McGonagall's office. Hopefully she had the password.

The hallways were empty, making their path extremely quick. Taking a quick right turn, Orion had to jump out of the way to avoid running into Professor McGonagall who was carrying a large pile of books. Neville, unfortunately, wasn't able to move fast enough and collided with her, sending books everywhere.

"Mr. Longbottom!" McGonagall scolded as she knelt down and started picking up books.

Orion and Hermione hurried to help her while Neville looked like he had just run into Professor Snape instead of Professor McGonagall. It was understandable. The majority of what little attention Neville received from the teachers hadn't been pleasant. Neville's clumsy mistakes had been a dreaded occurrence for most of the practical lessons.

"Sorry Professor McGonagall," Orion said, diverting McGonagall's attention. "It was my fault. We were actually on our way to see you. Do you know Professor Dumbledore's password? We need to talk to him. It's really important."

Professor McGonagall eyed Orion curiously. It was obvious that she was trying to decipher whether the matter was personal or school related. "Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago, Mr. Black," she said sternly as she rose to her feet. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" Neville cried nervously.

Professor McGonagall shifted her gaze to Neville. "Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Mr. Longbottom. He has many demands on his time—"

"But this is important!" Hermione protested.

Orion nudged Hermione, urging her to remain quiet. "Do you know when he'll be back, Professor?" he asked. "We really need to talk to him about something."

Professor McGonagall slowly shifted her gaze from Hermione to Neville before finally resting on Orion. "You know how unpredictable the Ministry is, Mr. Black. Professor Dumbledore could be back in a few hours or he could be tied up until late tonight. What is so important?"

Orion, Hermione and Neville shared a nervous glance. Professor McGonagall was the exact opposite of Professor Dumbledore. He was lenient and eccentric while she was strict and conventional. Would she believe them? Would she even listen to anything they said?

"Professor, did Hayden and Ron ever ask you to see Professor Dumbledore over the past week?" Orion asked hopefully.

McGonagall looked startled by the abrupt change in topic. "No they haven't, Mr. Black," she said cautiously. "Should they have?"

Orion closed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. He should have known Hayden and Ron would never tell anyone, especially when they started avoiding him. Gathering his courage, Orion opened his eyes and me McGonagall's gaze. "Professor, I know it may be hard to believe but we think the Stone is in danger," he said firmly. "The creature that's been killing the unicorns is Voldemort. Hayden and Ron found out when they were serving detention in the forest. They were supposed to tell Professor Dumbledore—"

"—You-Know-Who?" Professor McGonagall sputtered. "Mr. Black, that is a serious allegation to make."

"But what if it's true, Professor?" asked Hermione. "What if this is just the opportunity You-Know-Who is waiting for to take the stone?"

"Please, Professor," Orion pleaded. "We don't want to cause trouble. We just want to make sure Voldemort doesn't succeed."

Professor McGonagall eyed Orion critically before letting out a short breath. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone but I assure you it is well protected," she said confidently. "However, I do know that you are not one to make wild accusations, Mr. Black. I will have the professors patrolling the halls tonight, just in case. I will also try to contact Professor Dumbledore but I can't guarantee anything."

"Thank you, Professor!" Orion said gratefully. "Thank you so much!"

Professor McGonagall nodded before sending them on their way. Orion knew he should be relieved that McGonagall had taken him seriously but he couldn't ignore the dread that had etched itself in his stomach, taunting him to do something foolish. _Like run into a problem rashly without having a backup plan._

When they returned to the Entrance hall, Hermione finally spoke up. "Well, that went better than I thought it would," she said. "At least she believed us."

"She did," Orion admitted softly, "but that doesn't change the fact that Professor Dumbledore's gone. His absence makes Hogwarts vulnerable." Deep down, Orion knew that Professor Dumbledore had been the only reason Voldemort and the traitor had waited as long as they had.

"But what else can we do?" asked Neville.

Orion let out a sigh as he stared out at the sunlit grounds. There really wasn't much else they could do. The Ministry would never do anything without actual proof concerning the presence of Voldemort or a traitor, especially since the majority of the wizarding world believed Voldemort was actually dead. Realistically, there was only one person in the Ministry Orion knew he could trust to actually do something.

"Hermione, do you have any spare parchment?" Orion asked distractedly.

"Of course," Hermione said and pulled a piece of parchment out of one of her books. "Why?"

"I'm going to send a letter to my dad," Orion answered as he took the parchment out of her hand. "If anyone knows what we should do, he will."

Neville and Hermione shared a look before following Orion all the way up to the owlery. Orion wasted no time pulling out some ink and a quill to write a quick and coded note before sending it off with Hedwig. As she flew out of sight, Orion could only hope Hedwig reached his father before it was too late. With any luck, it was an 'office day' so Hedwig didn't have to go beyond the Ministry.

"Now we wait," Neville said quietly.

"That's all we can do," Orion agreed. "Dad'll help us, I know it. He's been on the 'dark wizard' squad for years."

Dinner arrived quickly only for Orion, Neville and Hermione to see that Professor Dumbledore had yet to return from the Ministry. Hedwig returned halfway through dinner, looking exhausted but proud at her accomplishment. Neville and Hermione eagerly leaned in; watching as Orion removed the letter from Hedwig's leg and opened it.

_Ori,_

_I'm arranging a team of Aurors I trust. Be at the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room at 2300 hours to grant us passage. Do NOT try to engage. If problems arise on our end, we will find another mode of transportation. If problems arise on your end, tell McGonagall to contact me at the Ministry. _

_You did the right thing, son. I'm so proud of you._

_Dad_

Orion let out a sigh or relief and handed the letter over to Neville and Hermione. Help was coming. His father was coming. Suddenly, dinner could pass fast enough. All Orion could think about was that it would all soon be over. From the looks on Neville and Hermione's faces, he knew they felt the same way. The sooner Voldemort was stopped, the better for everyone.

It was difficult to concentrate on anything other than the minutes slowly passing by in the Gryffindor Common Room that night. Orion had no doubt that they attracted a few odd glances, sitting by the fireplace and reading instead of having fun like everyone else. It seemed like an eternity before the room started to empty as people drifted off to bed. When they were finally alone, Orion closed his book and nervously checked his watch. They still had another thirty minutes before being contacted.

This was going to be one long half hour.

Orion slowly stood up and stretched only to jump when he heard the portrait entrance open. Turning around, Orion stared in alarm as it stayed open for a moment before closing. This was bad. The entrances for each house only opened when someone wanted to leave or when given the correct password on the outside. Since no one entered, Orion figured it was safe to conclude that someone had left.

"Orion?" Hermione asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

"Someone just left the tower," Orion answered, "probably by means of an invisibility cloak."

"But invisibility cloaks are extremely rare and expensive," Neville protested. "The only way anyone would have one would be if it were a family heirloom."

Orion slowly shifted his gaze to Neville. "Exactly," he said. "Care to list any Gryffindors who are descendents of wealthy purebloods?"

Neville's eyes widened. "Hayden," he whispered.

Orion nodded before running up to the first year boy's dorms. As quietly as possible, he entered and immediately spotted the empty beds. Hayden and Ron were gone. _Gits._ He could only think of one reason why they would sneak out tonight. He had figured they had been up to something but it never crossed his mind that they had been running their own investigation.

Running down the stairs, Orion couldn't help fearing the worst. He doubted that Hayden and Ron actually knew what they were up against…unless they were thick enough to believe that they could take on Voldemort by themselves. _Please don't let them be _that _thick._

"Hayden and Ron are gone, aren't they?" Hermione asked when Orion entered the Common Room.

Orion nodded. "We have to stop them before they do something stupid," he said then turned to his best friend. "Neville, could you please stay and tell my dad what happened if we're not back in time? You know my dad. Hermione doesn't."

Neville nodded nervously. "Just be careful," he said in a wavering voice.

Orion and Hermione gave Neville reassuring smiles before hurrying out of the Gryffindor Tower. The journey was slower than Orion would have liked. They had to stay to the shadows, making no noise whatsoever. A few times they heard distant footsteps, sending them into a panic only for them to vanish a few moments later. They nearly ran into Peeves when they reached the third floor who was more worried about running into the Bloody Baron than two students.

"That was odd," Hermione whispered as she followed Orion to the third-floor corridor to see the door was already slightly opened. "We're too late."

Muffled screams filled the air before Orion could reply. It definitely sounded like two boys instead of a dark wizard and a dark lord. With their wands at the ready, Orion and Hermione hurried into the room only to come face to face with three large growling heads. Noticing the harp in the far corner, Orion renewed the spell and waited as the harp started to play. The screams were becoming dimmer from underneath their feet. Orion knew they were running out of time.

Fluffy swayed as his eyes slowly closed. Orion and Hermione jumped back as the large animal lay down and quickly went to sleep. With no time to waste, Orion and Hermione hurried to the trap door and pulled it open. Off to the side, Orion noticed the invincibility cloak that had been left behind. He quickly grabbed it and stuffed as much of it into his pocket as he could before jumping into the hole. He fell down, down, down in darkness before landed on something soft. Hermione landed beside him a moment later. Raising his wand high in the air, Orion lit up the room only to see that they were sitting on a large plant that seemed to be moving off to the left.

"Oh my!" Hermione gasped as the plant started to twist snakelike tendrils around them. "It's Devil's Snare! Hayden and Ron must be completely wrapped by now. _Lumos_ _Solem_!"

The entire room lit with sunlight as the tendrils loosened their grip. Orion and Hermione quickly jumped to their feet as the tendrils desperately moved away from the light and warmth. Soon, Hayden and Ron were revealed, gasping for breath. They certainly looked worse for wear. Both of them had cuts all over and their clothes were ripped in various places. Orion and Hermione quickly helped Hayden and Ron to their feet before pushing them towards the nearest wall. As soon as Orion spotted a stone passageway, he led the way to safety.

"Thanks," Hayden said, gasping for breath as he fell to his knees. "I thought we were done for."

"What were you two thinking?" Orion asked incredulously, ignoring the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. "You could have been killed!" Hayden and Ron shared a glance but remained silent. "Did you have a plan at all? Did you even bother researching what would be protecting the Stone?"

Hayden looked up at Orion in surprise. "How did you know about the Philosopher's Stone?" he asked.

"We've known since October, Hayden," Hermione answered. "How did you know about the Stone?"

Hayden glanced at Ron who looked extremely sheepish. Suddenly everything made sense. "Ah, I see," Orion said; his gaze fixed on Ron. "So, Ron overheard us talking about it when he was spying on us and didn't reveal that little fact to Hayden. Why Ron? Do you really hate me that much that you would put Hayden's life in danger?"

Ron quickly looked up at Orion, horrified. "No!" he protested. "I would never! We just wanted to stop Snape from getting the Stone for You-Know-Who!"

Orion let out an angry breath as he enfolded his arms across his chest. "Do you actually believe you have any chance against a fully trained wizard?" he hissed. "If you would have talked to Professor McGonagall, you would have known that she was increasing security to ensure the Stone was safe. Then again, if you would have told Professor Dumbledore about Voldemort being in the forest then he probably wouldn't have left"

Hayden cast Ron an angry glance before rising to his feet. "I'm sorry, Orion," he said sincerely. "I messed up. _We_ messed up."

"That's obvious," Hermione muttered before looking over her shoulder at the Devil's Snare, hiding in the darkness. "What should we do? We can't go back and we can't go forward."

Ron quickly looked up at them. "What do you mean?" he asked. "We can't stop now!"

Orion and Hermione stared at Ron in disbelief. "Oh yes we can," Orion said sternly. "We're going to wait for my dad to come and get us out of this mess."

"Your father's coming?" Hayden asked in surprise. "How?"

Orion shifted his gaze to Hayden. "I sent him a letter and asked for help," he said simply.

A loud _THUMP_ from far ahead halted any conversation. Orion and Hermione quickly had their wands ready while Hayden helped Ron to his feet. Whatever had hit the ground had been large and heavy. Silently, Orion motioned for everyone to remain where they were and slowly crept forward. The passageway sloped downward, making it hard not to slip. A soft rustling and clinking soon filled his ears. It sounded remarkably like wings.

"What's that?" a voice asked quietly.

Orion jumped and quickly turned around to see Hermione, Hayden and Ron only a few steps behind. He shot them a glare only to receive a helpless shrug from Hermione. "Don't know, don't care," Orion answered. "Come on, we're going back and waiting—"

"—for Snape to steal the Stone?" Ron interrupted. "Are you mad?"

Orion shot Ron another glare. "What proof do you have that it's Professor Snape who's after the Stone?" he asked.

"He tried to kill Hayden!" Ron growled. "Isn't that enough?"

Orion let out a sigh as he turned away. He really wanted to punch Ron in the face but had a feeling that would only make everything worse. "No, it's not," Orion said truthfully. "We don't actually know it was Professor Snape that was jinxing the broom. Do you have any actual proof that Professor Snape is working for Lord Voldemort?"

Ron flinched before scowling at Orion.

"Look!" Hayden said, stepping between Orion and Ron. "There's light ahead. I can see something moving."

Ron and Hermione took a look as Orion let out a tired sigh. This was not going to end well. He just knew it. Hayden and Ron were too curious about what lay ahead and weren't too eager to listen to logic. "There's a light," Orion said dryly. "Great. Now let's go back."

"No way," Hayden protested. "I'm going. You're dad may be coming, Orion, but he's not here yet. Snape—or whoever is after the Stone could already have it." He started walking with Ron only a half of a step behind.

Hermione stared at Orion nervously before shrugging and following suit. Orion let out a groan in frustration. This was a mistake. Someone was going to get hurt. He just knew it but he also knew Hayden and Ron would most likely get into trouble if he didn't follow. _Dad, forgive me._

Orion caught up with everyone else at the end of the passageway only to see a brilliantly lit chamber with a high arching ceiling. Countless small, fluttering and glittering objects filled the air, tumbling around and into each other. Orion immediately started scanning around the room and saw a heavy wooden door on the opposite side of the chamber along with three broomsticks off to the right. _So this is Professor Flitwick's challenge._

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" asked Ron.

"I doubt it," Orion answered. "They look like keys, winged keys. My guess would be that the right one needs to be retrieved to unlock the door by broomstick."

Hayden and Ron glanced at Orion in surprise while Hermione smiled proudly. "How do you know the door is locked?" asked Ron.

"Honestly," Hermione huffed. "This is supposed to be a challenge, Ron. Just being able to walk across a room isn't very challenging now, is it?"

The tips of Ron's ears turned pink as he mumbled something while Hayden tried not to laugh. "She has a point," Hayden said with a shrug before turning to Orion. "All right, so we need to pick out one key in the hundreds that are up there."

Hermione hurried across the room and took a good look at the door. "It'll probably be a big, old-fashioned one," she said, "probably silver, like the handle."

Orion, Hayden and Ron shared a look before grabbing a broom and kicking off into the air, soaring into the cloud of keys. They tried to grab anything that remotely resembled a possible match but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly that it was nearly impossible to catch them. It wasn't long before Orion spotted a large silver key with a bent wing, as if it had been already caught. Orion immediately took off for it, soaring, diving and weaving before he was able to trap the key against the wall.

"I got it!" Orion shouted as he wrapped his fingers around the key and dived towards Hermione. Hayden and Ron followed, each with a startled look their face. Orion ignored them as he stuffed the struggling key into the lock and turned, grinning at Hermione when the door opened. No longer needed, the key took flight once again.

Hayden and Ron hurried into the next room with Orion and Hermione following more cautiously. The next chamber was pitch-black until they all stepped in. Suddenly, light filled the room to reveal an enormous chess board with life size black chessmen in front of them and white chessmen across the chamber. Orion immediately groaned. _Professor McGonagall's challenge._

"I don't like this," Hayden whispered. "What do we do now?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron said eagerly. "We've got to play our way across the room with each of us being chessmen." Ron walked up to the black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed at the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron. "Do we—er—have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded and turned back to the other three.

"Wonderful," Orion muttered. "Anyone here good at chess?"

"Ron is," Hayden said immediately. "You can tell us what to do, right Ron?"

Ron nodded. "Well, Hayden, you take the place of that bishop," The bishop turned his back on the white pieces before walking off the board. "Hermione, you next to him instead of that castle," The castle followed the bishop off the board. "Orion—er—maybe you should take place of the King, just to be safe," The king joined the other two pieces off to the side. "I'll be a knight." Slowly, the knight bowed its head and left the board, allowing the four first years to take the empty spaces.

"White always plays first in chess," Ron muttered before a white pawn moved forward two squares. "Hayden, move diagonally four squares to the right."

Everyone jumped when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed it to the floor and dragged it off the board, where it lay still, facedown. This made everyone realize that this was going to be actual wizarding chess. If they were to be taken…

"Had to let that happen," Ron croaked. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

The white pieces were completely merciless every time a black piece was taken. It wasn't long before there was a large collection of limp black players slumped against the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Hayden and Hermione were in danger while he darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones. Orion had pretty much remained stationary.

"We're nearly there," Ron said suddenly. "Let me think—let me think…" The white queen slowly turned and faced him. "Yes," Ron said softly. "It's the only way...I've got to be taken."

"NO!" Hayden shouted.

"That's chess!" Ron snapped. "You've got to make sacrifices! I move forward and to the right so she'll take me…that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Hayden! Do you want to stop Sn—You-Know-Who or not?"

"Ron," Hayden protested.

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!" Ron shouted firmly. "Here I go, now, don't hang around once you've won." He moved forward and to the right, only waiting a moment before the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor. Hermione screamed but stayed on her square as the white queen dragged an unconscious Ron to one side.

Shaking, Hayden moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Hayden's feet. As the chessmen parted and bowed, Orion immediately hurried to Ron's side and started checking for injuries. Ron was breathing evenly and appeared to only be knocked out. Letting out a long breath, Orion rose to his feet and followed Hayden and Hermione through the door and up the next passage way.

"Ron'll be all right, right?" asked Hermione.

"He'll be fine," Orion assured. "Worst case scenario is a concussion."

Hayden let out a relieved sigh. "I can't believe he did that," he said quietly. "What do you reckon's next?"

"Well, we've had Hagrid's pet, Sprout's Devil's Snare, Flitwick's charmed keys, and McGonagall's chessmen," Hermione said counting them off on her fingers. "That leaves Quirrell and Snape."

They reached another door and shared a look before making sure their wands were at the ready and, as one, pushed the door open. A disgusting smell washed over them, making all of them pull their robes over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one that had entered the castle on Halloween, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

Orion stared at the troll, his mind furiously putting the pieces together. This had to been Professor Quirrell's defense which meant that Quirrell had some sort of history with trolls. But if that were true, then why did Quirrell act the way he did on Halloween? _To create chaos and retrieve the Stone while attention is focused elsewhere. _If that were true then that meant that Professor Snape had indeed tried to protect the Stone when he had been attacked by Fluffy.

"At least we didn't have to fight it," Hayden whispered as he stepped carefully over one of the troll's massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

Hermione and Orion followed Hayden past the troll and opened the next door only to see a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line with a roll of parchment lying next to them. _Professor Snape's challenge no doubt._ As they stepped over the threshold, flames erupted behind in the doorway behind them and the doorway leading onward. Purple flames were at their backs and black flames blocked their destination.

"We're trapped!" Hayden cried.

"Calm down, Hayden," Orion said as he seized the roll of parchment and unrolled it to reveal what looked like a riddle. Hermione and Hayden moved to his side so they could also read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,

But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

"Oh brilliant," Hermione said with a smile. "This isn't magic, its logic—a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

Orion read through the riddle again slowly. Everything they needed was right here. There were seven bottles: three were poison, two were wine, one needed to go forward, and one needed to go back. They just needed to figure out what was in each bottle. "Well, the first bottle isn't wine," Orion said thoughtfully. "It's either poison or the way back. The first and last bottles aren't the same and neither is the potion to move forward. The largest and smallest bottles are not poison…and…the second and sixth bottles are either wine or poison."

Hayden stared at Orion dumbfounded before looking at Hermione. "Did any of that make sense to you?" he asked.

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Ori's narrowing down the possibilities," she answered.

Orion took a step forward and picked up the smallest bottle. "This one is the way through the black fire," he said confidently then took a closer look at the contents in the bottle. "There's hardly any left. There's no way all three of us can go on." Picking up the round bottle at the right end of the line, Orion handed it over to Hermione. "This one will get you through the purple flames. Drink it, Hermione, and get help."

"But—"

"Orion's right, Hermione," Hayden added. "If we fail, you're our only hope."

Hermione looked like she wanted to protest but nodded. "Be careful you two," she pleaded, "and Hayden, listen to Orion. He knows what he's talking about." Before Hayden could say anything, Hermione took a long drink from the round bottle and shuddered. "Ugh, it's like ice," she said quietly before turning and walking straight through the purple fire."

Orion turned to Hayden. "Look, you're gonna have to trust me," he said as he pulled out the invisibility cloak from his pocket. "The only way we are going to pull this off is if we surprise whoever is in the next chamber. I'll go under the invisibility cloak and wait until the time is right to strike." Hayden nodded in agreement. "Also, we're only here to protect the Stone. The moment either of us has the Stone, we need to run for it…even if that means leaving the other behind."

Hayden nodded again. "I understand," he said with a nervous smile. "I trust you, Orion."

Orion nodded slightly before casting a disillusionment charm on his body. Blending into his surroundings, Orion took a small sip of the potion and handed the bottle over to Hayden. As the sensation of ice flooding his body began, Orion quickly walked through the flames that tickled his body. For a moment he could see nothing but dark flames only to be free a moment later. Without any hesitation, Orion covered himself with the invisibility cloak and waited for Hayden to emerge from the flames which he did a moment later. Together, they entered the last chamber only to see one person standing in front of the mirror, proving Orion's theory to be correct.

It wasn't Professor Snape.

* * *

A/N: Happy New Year Everyone! So, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows for the official book 7. Hmmm. Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it? 


	11. Ghosts of the Past

Chapter 11

Ghosts of the Past

It was Professor Quirrell.

"You?" Hayden asked incredulously. "You're the traitor?"

Orion took the opportunity to slowly move off to the side, cautiously approaching Professor Quirrell so he could engage the moment it was necessary. He immediately noticed that the mirror was actually the Mirror of Erised and figured that this was Professor Dumbledore's challenge. Knowing Dumbledore, Orion knew the challenge would be something obvious yet difficult unless you were after the Stone for the right reasons. Their only hope now was that Hayden could delay Professor Quirrell as long as possible.

Professor Quirrell's attention was completely on Hayden as a smooth smile appeared on his face. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter," he said calmly with no stutter whatsoever. "I gather you assumed that Severus would be here in my place. I can't blame you, of course. Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? It was so useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

Hayden glared angrily at Professor Quirrell as Orion moved a few steps closer. _Come on, Hayden. Keep it together._

"But Snape tried to kill me!" Hayden cried.

Professor Quirrell laughed. "No, I tried to kill you. Your _protector_, Mr. Black knocked me over when he rushed to set fire to Snape at the Quidditch match. Snape was trying to save you, muttering his little countercurse. I really can't blame him though. He was just trying to dissolve the life debt he owed your father. No matter. He's not here to save you now." The smile on Professor Quirrell's face turned sinister. "I will finally be able to rid the world of the alleged boy-who-lived."

"What?" Hayden asked in confusion.

"You didn't know?" Professor Quirrell asked innocently. "I'm surprised your parents neglected to tell you but I suppose—considering the way your brother's death was shoved into the closet."

That got Hayden's attention. "What do you know about Harry?" he asked immediately.

"I know as much as everyone else except for the small fact that you were pronounced the-boy-who-lived because you were the 'healthy twin'," Professor Quirrell answered with a raised eyebrow as he snapped his fingers. Before Orion could blink, ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Hayden. "Your brother wasn't so fortunate. He nearly died twice that night so he couldn't possibly be the-boy-who-lived. The wizarding world needed a healthy savior to fawn over."

Orion fought back the urge to say something to prevent Hayden from doing something thick. Sure, no one witnessed Hayden becoming the-boy-who-lived but Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have said Hayden was the-boy-who-lived if there had been any sort of doubt. Professor Quirrell was just trying to rile Hayden up. _And succeeding remarkably at it._

"You're lying!" Hayden protested at last.

Professor Quirrell just stared at Hayden for a moment before turning back to face the mirror. "Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror. This mirror is the key to finding the Stone. Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this—"

"—You let the troll in on Halloween, didn't you!" Hayden interrupted angrily.

Professor Quirrell let out an annoyed breath. "Certainly," he said, his eyes never leaving the mirror. "I have a special gift with trolls—you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off—and not only did my troll fail to cause some havoc, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly."

Orion nervously glanced at his watch to see that it was definitely past eleven o'clock. His father was probably trying to get through the challenges by now. All he could do now was hope and pray that Professor Quirrell didn't figure out Professor Dumbledore's challenge anytime soon.

"I see the Stone," Professor Quirrell murmured. "I'm presenting it to my master but where is it?"

Orion cautiously raised his wand as Hayden struggled against the ropes binding him. Something had to be done, that much was obvious. Orion just wished he knew what it was. Right now, remaining invisible was the only advantage both Orion and Hayden had. _If Professor Quirrell does anything…_

"I know Voldemort's in the forest, Quirrell," Hayden said suddenly.

Professor Quirrell shuddered slightly. "He's with me wherever I go" he said quietly. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has been very hard on me." Quirrell shuddered again. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me…decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"

Orion suddenly had a bad feeling about this. If Voldemort was closer than the forest then that meant that he was actually inside the castle. Voldemort could be waiting in Professor Quirrell's office or even the next room. There were just too many unknowns and that made Orion extremely uneasy. _We are definitely in over our heads here._

"I don't understand," Professor Quirrell murmured. "Is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Orion glanced over at Hayden who was staring at the mirror with a concentrated look on his face. Hayden tried to edge to the left but he tripped and fell over. Orion quickly covered his mouth to muffle the gasp that escaped his lips. Thankfully, Professor Quirrell didn't pay any attention to Hayden, only the mirror.

"What does this mirror do?" Professor Quirrell mumbled. "How does it work? Help me, Master!"

Orion froze in horror as a voice answered; a voice that seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy…Use the boy…"

Professor Quirrell immediately rounded on Hayden. "Potter, come here, now!" he demanded as he clapped his hands once causing the ropes binding Hayden to fall. Hayden slowly rose to his feet and walked towards Quirrell. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

_Lie, Hayden. I know you desire to see where the Stone is but please lie._

Hayden closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror and opened them again. For a moment, Orion thought he saw a pained look on Hayden's face but it was quickly replaced with a startled one as Hayden brushed his hand against his pocket. Orion immediately tensed at the gesture. He didn't know how it happened but somehow Hayden was in possession of the Stone.

"Well?" Professor Quirrell asked impatiently. "What do you see?"

Hayden inhaled deeply as he met Quirrell's gaze. "I see myself shaking hands with Professor McGonagall," he said bravely. "I've won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor."

Professor Quirrell cursed. "Get out of the way," he snarled.

Hayden moved out aside as Orion moved closer. They would have one chance to do this. Orion would need to create some sort of distraction for Hayden to get away. _Most likely something dangerous and stupid._ Orion grabbed hold of the invisibility cloak with his free hand, ready to pull it off and cast any spell, curse or jinx that he could think of. Hayden slowly moved backwards but had only managed to take about five steps before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell obviously wasn't the one speaking.

"He lies…He lies…"

Without hesitation, Orion pulled off the invisibility cloak and jumped between Quirrell and Hayden. Quirrell narrowed his eyes before firing a spell at Orion, causing the disillusionment to break away. Quirrell jumped back slightly in shock which gave Orion the opportunity to attack. Three spells were fired before Professor Quirrell even moved but the spells were quickly deflected. The high voice spoke again but Orion couldn't make out what was being said. He was too busy trying to maintain his ground.

"Hayden!" Orion shouted. "Get out of here! I'll hold him off!"

Hayden hesitated for only a moment before running out of the chamber. Quirrell snarled in anger as he pointed his wand at Orion. Both of them stood in silence, staring each other down for any sign of movement. Quirrell moved first, forcing Orion to duck out of the way. Orion tried to return fire but found himself frozen in place and effortlessly lifted into the air.

"Black," Professor Quirrell spat as he approached. "Did you really think you would be able to defeat me in a duel? You may have delayed Potter's death but you will pay with your own."

The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to him…face-to-face…"

Professor Quirrell paled slightly. "Master, you are not strong enough!" he protested.

Orion winced as a headache appeared out of nowhere, centering right where his old scar was on his forehead. He really didn't need this now of all times.

"I have strength enough…for this…" the voice insisted.

Orion could only watch as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. It wasn't possible. That was what Quirrell meant when he said he was never alone. Somehow, Voldemort had attached himself to Professor Quirrell's head. The turban fell away, making Professor Quirrell's head look rather small. Quirrell met Orion's gaze before turning on the spot allowing Orion to come face to—well—face with a figure that had the most terrible face Orion had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and almost snake-like slits for nostrils.

"I see my appearance startles you, young Black," the face said. "Isn't it remarkable what I have become? Mere shadow and vapor…I have form only when I can share another's body…but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…I was so close to being able to create a body of my own but you had to interfere. Kill him!"

Orion tried to struggle but it was no use. Whatever force was binding him had no intention on letting him go. Quirrell spun around and wrapped his hands around Orion's neck. Orion's head felt like it was going to explode in pain as he gasped for breath. Quirrell let out a whimper of pain but continued to squeeze. Orion's lungs screamed for breath as darkness started to engulf his vision. He wanted to fight, he didn't want to die but everything felt so heavy. Orion's eyes closed. His head lolled forward as Quirrell finally let out a painful scream.

As darkness consumed Orion, he thought he heard someone in the distance call his name in panic.

* * *

Sirius Black was not having a good day and it had only gotten worse the moment he arrived at Hogwarts. He was expecting to see his son waiting for him only to have Neville reveal that Orion had disobeyed orders because of Hayden Potter. They had rushed to the third floor only to come face to face with an enormous three-headed dog. It had taken nearly five powerful stunning spells to overpower the beast but when they did, they discovered that the dog was only the beginning. 

The team of Aurors had to battle Devil's Snare only to enter a stone passageway and see a bushy-haired girl trying to help a tall, red-haired boy who was swaying slightly. An Auror immediately took the two to safety while the rest of the team continued on. They retrieved a damaged flying key and entered a large room with an enormous chess set that wouldn't let them pass unless they played the game. Sirius was near the end of his rope. They didn't have time for a game!

Fortunately, there was someone in the group that was decent in the game of chess. They played the game as quickly as possible, only to see Hayden Potter entered from the opposite side as the white queen was defeated. Hayden certainly looked like he had seen better days. The boy had cuts and scratches all over his body, looking like he had just encountered Voldemort himself.

It was then that Sirius' heart stopped completely. Hayden had left Orion alone with a Voldemort supporter and possibly Voldemort because Orion had ordered him to. Sirius didn't waste anytime before ordering an Auror to take Hayden to the hospital wing and the rest of the group to follow him. There were only five of them left but that would have to be enough. They were Orion's only chance.

The next chamber held a dead troll that made nearly everyone gag at the smell. With a few banishing charms, the creature was gone and the Aurors moved on to the next room to be trapped by black flames ahead and purple flames behind them. Luckily, one of the Senior Aurors recognized the types of flames and disabled the spells holding them in place which allowed them to be extinguished with some conjured water.

Sirius led the way into the next chamber only to come to a sudden halt when he saw his son suspended in the air and being strangled by a thin, bald man. "ORION!" he shouted and charged forward, wand already pointed at the man harming his son. The man released Orion, causing the boy to collapse to the floor and remain still. The sound of Orion's strangled breaths was the only sign that he was still alive. "Open fire!" Sirius shouted and a rainbow of spells filled the air.

The bald man turned to run for cover when a high pitched scream erupted. A dense white fog seemed to grow from the back of the man's head. Spell casting halted as everyone simply stared at the fog that seemed to form a hideous face. The bald man screamed in pain before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground, dead. The Aurors turned their attention on the fog that had moved to hover over Orion.

"I will have my revenge, boy," the fog hissed in a high pitched voice then turned its red eyes to the Aurors. "All of you will pay for this! No one crosses Lord Voldemort!"

Several Aurors gasped and winced but they all stood their ground as Voldemort let out a shriek and flew out of the room. No one moved until Sirius snapped out of his shock and hurried to Orion's side. There were bruises already forming around Orion's neck and his right hand was bleeding slightly from gripping his wand so tightly. Sirius carefully pried Orion's wand out of his son's hand, pocketed it and picked Orion up, cradling his son to his chest.

"Sir?" one of the Aurors said nervously. "What are your orders?"

Sirius rose to his feet and turned to face the young man. "Examine the scene and the body," he said gruffly. "Don't move anything until everything is documented. This is officially a Ministry case. When you're finished, use your portkey to take the body to the Ministry. If you run into Scrimgeour, tell him I'll give him my report in the morning."

Without waiting for a reply, Sirius left the chamber, still clutching his unconscious son to his chest. He rushed through the 'Potion's Chamber', the 'Troll Chamber' and the 'Chess Chamber' before nearly running into a flustered Professor Dumbledore, who only had to take one worried look at Orion before handing over an old sock that transported the two Blacks to the hospital wing. Sirius stumbled slightly as his feet slammed into the ground but managed to remain upright.

Slowly, Sirius' eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the hospital wing for him to see four beds already occupied. Three of the occupied beds held sleeping children while the forth held a familiar bespectacled boy that was being looked over by a frazzled Madam Poppy Pomfrey. The school nurse took only look at Sirius and abandoned her post, moving to the nearest open bed. Sirius did what he could to help Madam Pomfrey tend to Orion's injuries although he was more of a hinder than a help but he wasn't about to leave his son's side.

Finally, Madam Pomfrey stepped away and met Sirius' gaze. "I've done everything I can, Mr. Black," she said softly. "We just have to wait for him to awake."

Sirius nodded as he sank into the nearest chair. Waiting wasn't something he was particularly good at, especially when it concerned Orion—his only child…his entire world and the only reason he was still sane after loosing two godchildren. Orion was the reason he got up in the morning and why he worked so hard to make the world a better place.

"Is Orion going to be all right?" Hayden Potter asked nervously, breaking into Sirius' thoughts.

Sirius slowly looked over at the boy who looked exactly like James Potter, struggling to remain calm. Before he could answer, however, the doors to the hospital wing opened to allow two familiar figures to enter. Sirius had to look away when he saw the bespectacled man and the red haired woman searching frantically for their son. _This day just keeps getting better and better._

"Hayden!" the woman cried as she rushed over to Hayden's bed and immediately started checking him over as her husband worriedly looked on.

"Mum!" Hayden complained as he pushed her away. "Madam Pomfrey said I'll be fine." His gaze shifted back to Sirius. "I'm just worried about Orion."

Sirius could feel everyone's attention shifting to him and tried his best to ignore it as he took hold of Orion's limp hand, caressing the back of it like he had so many times when Orion needed to be calmed down. For Orion, it always seemed to be the smallest details that did the most for him. _Come on, Ori. Give me a sign that you're all right._

"Sirius?"

Letting out a tired sigh, Sirius slowly shifted his gaze to see James Potter standing only a few paces away. "Leave us alone, James," he said stiffly.

A pained look appeared on Mr. Potter's face. "Sirius, please," he pleaded. "I know there's nothing I can say that could fix what I've said and done to you but could we at least be civil to each other—for our—sons?"

Sirius' eyes narrowed angrily. "Civil?" he asked as he rose to his feet. "You walk in here after six years of nothing and expect civility? How dare you! You accused me—ME—of trying to steal your family—OF TRYING TO DESTROY YOUR PERFECT LIFE!" Mr. Potter visibly flinched and took a step back. "As far as our _sons_ are concerned…they wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for yours! Orion knew of the danger and contacted me for help. He knew it was suicide to even try to engage. Ask your son what he did. ASK HIM!"

Mr. Potter let out a tired sigh and looked over his shoulder to see Hayden staring down at his hands—a clear sign of guilt.

"Ron and I thought…we were thick," Hayden said quietly. "We didn't think and would probably be dead if it wasn't for Orion and Hermione. They saved us from the Devil's Snare. Orion tried to tell us to wait for Mr. Black to come but we didn't listen. We—we just wanted to stop Sn—Quirrell from getting the Stone for Voldemort." Hayden sniffled and rubbed his eyes as Mrs. Potter sat down beside him. "It's my fault. Orion told me to run—to get the Stone to safety. I—I left him. I didn't want to—but—I LEFT HIM!"

Mrs. Potter pulled Hayden into a comforting embrace, rocking him as he cried. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as the doors opened again to reveal Professor Dumbledore followed by the majority of the teaching staff. Sirius' face hardened as his eyes met Dumbledore's. There was no twinkle in the old man's blue eyes. In fact, Dumbledore looked older than what Sirius could ever remember seeing.

"Sirius, James, Lily, I can't begin to apologize enough for what has happened to your children," Professor Dumbledore said gravely. "Minerva informed me of the situation the moment I returned from the Ministry. I assure you everything is being done to prevent something like this from happening again."

Sirius scoffed as he enfolded his arms across his chest. "It's a little too late for that, Dumbledore," he said coolly. "Orion nearly died tonight and all you can say is that measures are being taken to 'hopefully' stop it from happening again? That's unacceptable. From the obstacles that you arranged, it's clear that you knew someone may try to obtain the artifact. Bringing that sort of danger to an educational environment is only asking for disaster. I did not agree to send my son to a place where he is put in this sort of danger. I will arrange for Orion's transfer to St. Mungo's in the morning. I'm pulling him out of Hogwarts."

The entire teaching staff (except for Professor Snape, of course) gasped in alarm. "Sirius, please," Professor Dumbledore insisted. "Don't penalize Orion for my mistake. Orion loves Hogwarts." Sirius' eyes narrowed angrily. "Please don't make any hasty decisions, especially when it comes to Orion's education. A child with his talent for magic shouldn't be hidden away."

Sirius let out a long breath before turning back to Orion. With the utmost care, Sirius took hold of Orion's hand once again and squeezed it while burying his face in his son's hair for a long moment. Gathering his wits, Sirius pulled away from Orion and turned back to the crowd. "I will discuss it with my son," he said at last. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check on my team."

Without waiting for a reply, Sirius strode out of the hospital wing, purposefully ignoring James Potter and Albus Dumbledore. As much as he hated to leave Orion's bedside, Sirius knew that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to control himself with either man. One thing was for certain, though. Sirius had no intention of 'burying the hatchet' with the Potter family. He wouldn't hold any resentment towards the children, though, since they held no blame in their father's actions.

James and Lily deserved everything Sirius could throw at them. There was no way a meager apology would simply make all of the problems go away. Nothing would make Sirius forget how James had turned on his 'brother' and how Lily had simply followed her husband, no matter how wrong he was.

* * *

A/N: Well, only one chapter left. Hopefully you all don't mind the minor point-of-view change. It just popped into my head and I had to write it. 

Also, July 21st for Deathly Hallows. Yipee!!!!


	12. Mending Bridges

Chapter 12

Mending Bridges

Muffled voices washed over Orion as he slowly rose from slumber. They sounded familiar…and concerned. Letting out a soft groan, Orion forced his eyes open only to close them again to block the blinding sunlight. The voices started to clear as a familiar hand grasped his while another hand started running through his hair in a motion Orion had recognized after years of falling asleep, waiting for his father to come home from work.

"Dad?" Orion croaked out. "Moony?"

The large hand holding his tightened as warm lips rested on his forehead. Orion slowly blinked his eyes just as his father pulled away. For a long moment, no one said anything. Sirius sat down on the edge of Orion's bed while Remus remained seated in his chair at Orion's bedside. Both of them looked exhausted but relieved. Next to the bed, was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

Sirius was the first to break the silence. "How are you feeling, kiddo?" he asked quietly.

Orion had to think for a moment. His body felt a little sluggish and his throat hurt but at least he was still breathing. "I'm okay," he croaked. "Did you get 'em?"

Sirius let out a knowing sigh. "Voldemort got away, Ori," he said seriously, "but we saw him. We know now that he is still partially alive. Quirrell—he didn't make it. Being a host for Voldemort for so long put too much strain on his body. There was nothing we could do."

"Hayden told us everything," Remus added. "We know you tried to stop them. Professor McGonagall is about as angry with them as the Potters are."

Orion cringed as he slowly sat up. "The Potters were here?" he asked as he glanced worriedly at Sirius. "They didn't do anything, did they?"

Sirius smiled softly as he moved so he was sitting beside his son. "Don't worry about it, Ori," he said sincerely. "Nothing happened. James tried to apologize and I have a feeling he'll continue to do so for quite some time until he gets it through his head that I don't want anything to do with him."

Orion relaxed as he leaned against Sirius. That was a relief. "You didn't get in any trouble, did you?" Orion asked cautiously. "I know Scrimgeour—"

"—is grateful that this was brought to his attention," Sirius interrupted. "For years, we've searched for confirmation that Voldemort was either dead or alive. We now have that confirmation. Voldemort is indeed alive—just in a non-human form. The Minister, of course, refuses to acknowledge it but he's agreed to arranging a small team to search for leads."

"It's better than nothing," Orion offered. "At least now it'll be easier to convince him if Voldemort becomes human again, right?"

"Perhaps," answered Remus. "I think it would be wise to take everything with a grain of salt. Cornelius Fudge is very good at pushing problems under the rug. By allowing the existence of a research team, he's stopped any further inquiries. He's probably hoping that the team will eventually give up and everything will go back to normal."

As much as Orion hated to admit it, Remus was right. That's the way it was in the wizarding world. The politicians did what they could to maintain peace, even if it is only a façade. "So, what do we do now?" Orion asked softly.

Sirius and Remus shared a look. "Well, that's actually something we wanted to talk to you about," Sirius said uncomfortably. "You see, Ori, you came here to learn magic in a _safe_ setting, make friends and enjoy your childhood. This past year has been anything but safe. You were tormented by the Weasley boy—"

"—we're working on that, Dad," Orion interrupted. "Ron has a lot to make up for but he isn't a reason to leave Hogwarts."

Sirius stared at Orion with a raised eyebrow before continuing. "My point is, son, that you shouldn't have to worry about Voldemort and Death Eaters at your age," he said. "Dumbledore was supposed to protect you—"

"—don't blame Grandad for what happened, Dad," Orion insisted. "It isn't his fault. I only put together who was helping Voldemort when we were down there—"

"—but you're only eleven, Ori," Remus countered. "I know you've been studying magic longer than most children but that doesn't mean you have to act like an adult. Every teacher here spent time around Quirrell and they needed an eleven-year-old child to tell them that something was wrong with him."

Orion's gaze fell as he stared at the bedcovers. He loved attending Hogwarts. He loved spending time with Neville and Hermione. Sure, the year hadn't gone as he thought it would but that didn't mean he wanted to leave. There was just something about Hogwarts that wasn't at Black Manor. "But—"

"—I'm not saying I agree with your father on removing you from Hogwarts," Remus interrupted quickly, earning a glare from Sirius. "However, I do agree that there were dangers here that never should have passed the front gates. Bringing something like the Philosopher's Stone to a learning institution is only asking for trouble. You nearly died, Ori. Hayden and the Wealsey boy would have died if you hadn't gone after them. Can you blame us for wanting to protect you?"

Orion shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving his bedcovers. He couldn't blame his father and uncle for trying to keep him safe. He just didn't like how drastic they wanted to go. Home schooling couldn't compete with Hogwarts. Sure, not everything at Hogwarts was great but there was enough for Orion to know that he couldn't imagine learning magic anywhere else.

The sound of the door opening startled everyone. Looking up quickly, Orion didn't know how to feel when he caught sight of Albus Dumbledore entering the hospital wing looking older than Orion could ever remember. Sirius immediately wrapped an arm around Orion and pulled him close, causing Orion to let out a muffled gasp. With as much effort as Orion could gather, he pushed away and glared at his father before returning his attention to Professor Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon, Orion," Dumbledore said as he reached the foot of Orion's bed. "It is a relief to see you awake. As you can see, there are quite a few people who have been worried about you over the past three days." He nodded briefly to the table full of sweets. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. As I am sure you already know, your plan to protect the Stone worked splendidly. I also believe you have heard the rest of the story from your father. There is only one missing piece of the story—what happened after Hayden left and before your father arrived."

Orion shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. "There's really not much to tell," he admitted. "Voldemort talked briefly then ordered Quirrell to kill me." Orion felt an arm wrap around him and made no effort to shrug it off. He reached up and rested his fingers against his sore neck. "I tried to fight him but he just kept strangling me."

Dumbledore let out a sigh as he sat down at the foot of Orion's bed. "My boy, I can not apologize enough for what you had to endure. There is so much I should have done differently starting with Hagrid. If I had confronted him about his gambling winnings, I have a feeling all of this could have been avoided."

"We understand that you wanted Hagrid to come to you, Dumbledore," Sirius admitted, "but that was never going to happen. Hagrid idolizes you too much to openly talk about his failures. We've all known Hagrid long enough to know that. If you didn't want Hagrid to feel uncomfortable then you should have sent McGonagall, Flitwick or Sprout."

Dumbledore nodded. "Again, I apologize," he reiterated. "For your information, Orion, the Stone has been destroyed. I have spoken to Nicolas and he as agreed it's for the best."

Orion stared at Professor Dumbledore incredulously for a moment before realizing that Hermione or Neville had most likely told one of the adults everything. He could imagine Hermione explaining everything at the high-paced speed she usually talks at when she's either excited or afraid. "But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?" Orion asked quietly.

Dumbledore smiled compassionately. "They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes they will die," he confirmed, "but do not worry, Orion. For Nicolas and Perenelle, it will feel like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure—"

"—which is why Voldemort fears it," Orion interrupted tiredly as he looked away. "I trust you've spoken to Hayden?"

Dumbledore paused at the abrupt change of topic. "We have spoken, yes," he said carefully.

Orion let out a sigh. "Quirrell said some things about…his brother," he said as his gaze fell again. "He said that Hayden became the-boy-who-lived because he was healthy and Harry wasn't. I don't know if Hayden believes it but I do know that he has a lot of questions—"

"—I am aware of Hayden's insecurities, Orion," Dumbledore interrupted patiently. "I was present when Hayden demanded answers from his parents a few nights ago. We have done what we can to ensure Hayden that he _is_ the-boy-who-lived however it is up to Hayden to believe it."

Orion had to agree. The biggest problem was that Quirrell's comments did have some truth in them. No one knew exactly what happened that night. There had been assumptions made but if Professor Dumbledore was certain…

"So how long do we have, Dumbledore?" Remus asked as he rose to his feet.

Dumbledore sighed. "It is difficult to say," he answered tiredly. "Voldemort is definitely still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share…not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. His return may have been delayed for now but his quest to regain a physical body _will_ continue until he succeeds. It may be mere months or it could very well be years until we hear from Voldemort again."

"If that's the case then you better start preparing—"

"—when the time is right, Sirius, I will," Professor Dumbledore interrupted patiently before returning his full attention to Orion. "There is one last matter we need to discuss, Orion. Your father has expressed that he wishes to remove you from Hogwarts. It is, of course, his decision. However, regardless of what that decision is, you are always welcome here—even if it is simply to visit. Again, I apologize for not being there when you needed me, my boy."

Orion opened his mouth to protest but Dumbledore was already rising to his feet. This wasn't happening! When did Albus Dumbledore simply give up? Orion gave his father a pleading look only to be ignored. Sirius and Remus were too focused on watching as Dumbledore left the hospital wing. Orion knew that he was missing something but he really didn't care. For years, he had done everything in his power to make his father happy. Orion couldn't do that anymore. He needed to make a stand now or he would most likely be locked up in Black Manor for the rest of his life.

_Tempting, but no._

Pulling away from his father, Orion pushed the bed covers away and slid out of bed, only to nearly fall over from the overwhelming dizziness that hit him like a bludger. Hands quickly grabbed hold and helped him up, no matter how hard Orion fought to break free. He needed to make a stand. He needed to catch up with Professor Dumbledore and assure his grandfather that there was no blame.

"Orion, sit down!" Sirius said firmly. "You have to take it easy!" Orion found himself sitting back on the bed being held in place by Sirius and Remus. "Listen son," Sirius continued gently as he wrapped an arm around Orion. "I know you like it here. You've loved coming here ever since you were five-years-old. Nothing's written in stone. Just…just let me do this my way. I almost lost you. I don't think I could handle seeing you like that again."

Orion's stubbornness deflated slightly. He had hated every time Sirius or Remus had been injured whether it had been because of a raid or the full moon. It didn't make the situation any easier to accept, just more difficult to argue. "But I was just doing what you taught me," Orion protested weakly. "I did whatever I could to complete the mission with as few injuries as possible. It was stupid and Gryffindorish but did you make all of the right choices when you were my age?"

Sirius groaned in frustration as Remus quietly chuckled. "He has a point, Padfoot," Remus said candidly. "We weren't exactly careful when we went to school here. Remember spending full moons in the forest with a dangerous werewolf?" Remus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess things are still pretty much the same except that the forest was replaced by the Black family basement."

Orion couldn't help laughing as Sirius tried to smack Remus. Sure, they hadn't reached any sort of common ground yet but Orion had two months to work on it. _With Moony's help, of course._

* * *

Hours later, Orion let out a sigh or relief as he pulled the bedcovers tighter around him. His father and uncle had finally left after Madam Pomfrey assured them that Orion had recovered completely from his injuries. All Orion still needed was rest which was what he was trying to accomplish at the moment. Unfortunately, the sound of the door opening signaled that it wasn't meant to be. Against his better judgment, Orion glanced at the door and could only groan at the sight of Ron Weasley nervously approaching. 

_Great._ _Just what I need._

"Er—hi, Orion," Ron said quietly as he reached Orion's bedside. "Um—everyone's coming but I wanted to talk to you first."

"Wanted to get in another comment of how I'm a Slytherin spy?" Orion asked dryly.

Ron flinched as he shifted his weight nervously. "I deserve that," he said as his gaze fell. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I've been a foul git this year. I was just so scared. Hayden's my first friend and I—I—I just can't compete with you. You know so much and—"

"—this isn't a competition, Ron," Orion said as lifted his upper body slightly so he was resting his weight on his forearms. "You need to get this notion out of your head. I know you feel you need to compete with your brothers but, in all honesty, you can't." Ron flinched again. "Bill didn't get his notoriety until he became Head Boy _at seventeen-years-old_, Charlie didn't get his until he was _sixteen-years-old_, Percy only got his this past year when he became a Prefect, and the twins…well, they're just unique."

Ron grinned slightly but remained silent.

Orion let out a tired sigh as he sat up completely. "In time, I'm sure you'll get your fifteen minutes, Ron," he said sincerely, "but until then all you can do is be the best person you can be. You know, sometimes the people who do the most are those that get no recognition for their accomplishments. Those are the people who are appreciated the most by those closest to them."

Ron finally met Orion's gaze with an astonished look on his face. "How do you know—"

"—my uncle is one of those people, Ron," Orion said quietly. "He's helped my dad and me more times than I can remember. When the Minister of Magic dies, wizards and witches all over will come to his funeral and respectfully mourn. When my uncle dies, his friends and family will come to his funeral and weep. Which person would you rather be?"

Before Ron could answer, the door to the hospital wing opened revealing Neville, Hermione and Hayden. Orion glanced at Ron one final time, letting Ron know that he wasn't completely forgiven yet but it was a start then shifted his complete attention to the three Gryffindors and motioned for them to enter. Neville and Hermione wasted no time rushing to Orion's bedside. Both of them looked like they desperately wanted to fling their arms around him while Hayden (who was approaching at a slower pace) kept shifting glances between Orion and Ron.

"Glad to see you conscious, mate," Neville said as he plopped down on the foot of Orion's bed. "Everyone was really worried. Hayden told us what happened."

Orion glanced over at Hayden but Hayden refused to meet his gaze. He shifted his attention back to Neville and Hermione, silently asking for an explanation only to receive helpless looks in return. Clearly something was wrong and it had been that way for some time. "What's going on, Hayden?" Orion asked bluntly.

Hayden winced visibly. "Er—well—I wasn't sure you wanted me here," he said quietly. "We know that your dad wants to pull you out of Hogwarts and it's my fault."

Orion couldn't help snorting at the comment. Hayden had such a simplistic view of everything. "I think you're memory's a little fuzzy, Hayden," Orion rebutted. "You didn't force me to go with you. I _chose_ to go along and I was the one to order you to leave with the Stone. My dad's just overreacting…you know, since I'm his only family and everything. He'll calm down eventually. I fully expect to have a rational conversation with him about this in about a month."

"But our parents—"

"—don't control our lives," Orion interrupted. "Listen Hayden, if you don't want to be friends anymore then that's your choice. Just make sure the choice is made for the right reasons."

"Ori does have a point, Hayden," Hermione added. "A lot of family feuds start just like this. If you two don't do something to stop the animosity, the relationship between the families could end up being similar to the relationship between your families and the Malfoys."

Orion and Hayden stared at Hermione in disbelief as Neville burst out laughing so hard that he nearly fell off the bed. They understood what Hermione was trying to say but the thought that either family could be as bad as the Malfoy family was preposterous. _Of course, stranger things have happened…I can't think of any right now though. _

"All right then," Orion said cautiously. "So, what else did I miss?"

Surprisingly, quite a bit. In addition to the frenzy and rumors associated with Quirrell's death, Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup and put an end to Slytherin's reign. However, the celebration hadn't been as enjoyable as it could have been because everyone was still worried about Orion. Hayden and Ron had given Orion a play-by-play of the game until Madam Pomfrey sent them away, proclaiming that Orion needed his rest.

A full night's sleep was indeed what Orion needed, allowing him to be released just in time for the end-of-year feast. From the lack of people in the hallways and the abundance of chatter in the Great Hall, Orion knew that the feast was only moments from starting. As discretely as possible, Orion entered the Great Hall. From the green and silver decorations along with the huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covering the wall behind the High Table, Orion knew that Slytherin had won the House Cup—for the seventh year in a row.

It didn't take long for Orion to spot his friends and hurry over to the open spot between Neville and Hermione. There was a sudden hush when Orion's presence was noticed but it only lasted for a moment before the loud conversations started up again. People were still shooting Orion curious glances but at least they weren't completely staring at him.

Fortunately, Dumbledore rose to his feet moments later, forcing everyone to focus on him instead. "Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were...you have an entire summer ahead to get them nice and empty before the next year starts."

A few chuckles could be heard while Hermione looked horrified at the thought of forgetting anything she had learned.

"Now, as I understand it," Professor Dumbledore continued, "the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand as thus: in fourth place, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty-two points; in third, Gryffindor with three hundred and sixty-one points; in second, Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six points and finally, Slytherin with four hundred and seventy-two points."

A roar of cheers erupted at the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy looked particularly smug.

Professor Dumbledore raised his hands and silence quickly returned. "Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," he said. "However, recent events must be taken into account." No one moved, especially the Slytherins. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes, first—to Mr. Ronald Weasley," Ron's face turned bright read, "…for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house twenty points."

The Gryffindors cheered as many pounded Ron on the back, his brothers among them. In all of the craziness, Ron's eyes sought out Orion's. In that moment, Orion could see that Ron understood what Orion had been talking about. Recognition from family was really more gratifying than recognition from strangers.

Silence fell once again as everyone returned their attention to Professor Dumbledore. "Second," Dumbledore continued, "to Miss Hermione Granger…for use of intellect, while others were in grave peril, I award Gryffindor house twenty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms as both Orion and Neville gave her one armed hugs from opposite sides. The Gryffindors all around them were beside themselves.

"Third," Professor Dumbledore said loudly, causing the entire hall to silence again, "to Mr. Hayden Potter…for following difficult orders in the most difficult of situations, I award Gryffindor house thirty points."

Hayden's eyes widened in shock as he was also surrounded by Gryffindors patting him on the back. It was clear that Hayden wasn't expecting and acknowledgement whatsoever and had no idea of how to react.

"Next," Professor Dumbledore said. The room went deadly quiet as several already shifted their gazes to Orion. "To Mr. Orion Black, for pure nerve and outstanding courage no matter how dire the situation became, I award Gryffindor house forty points."

Orion didn't even have any time to react before he was nearly tackled by the Gryffindors around him. The noise around him was deafening. As quickly as possible, Orion pushed everyone away and straightened himself up as much as he could. Orion didn't know why they were so happy. They were still one point behind Slytherin—

Dumbledore raised his hand and waited for silence to slowly return. "There are all kinds of courage," he said with a smile. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stay behind and assist those coming to help. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Orion quickly covered his ears to avoid the ringing sensation from the explosion of cheers that erupted from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Looking up at the High Table, Orion noticed Hagrid's teary smile and Professor Snape's profound scowl. All of the Slytherins looked horrified and stunned. Draco looked like he had swallowed something particularly sour.

"Which means," Professor Dumbledore called out over the storm of applause, "we need a little change of decoration." He clapped his hands and the green hangings immediately became scarlet while the silver became gold. The large Slytherin serpent vanished and was replaced by a towering Gryffindor lion. Professor Snape grudgingly shook Professor McGonagall's hand. Orion had no doubt that Snape would most likely be in a horrendous mood tonight. This was the first time in many years that the Slytherins hadn't won _a_ cup let alone losing _both_ to Gryffindor.

It was funny. Sometimes it looked like the teachers took the house competition more seriously than the students.

* * *

In addition to all the excitement, the exam results were released the following morning. No one was surprised to see Orion and Hermione at the top of every class. Hayden and Ron managed to pass with fair marks but it had been Neville who had surprised everyone. He had managed to score rather well in every class but Potions. Neville insisted that it was all of the study sessions Orion and Hermione had put him through no matter what others tried to tell him. 

Evidently, Neville's confidence still needed work.

In the blink of an eye, Orion found himself carefully packing his extremely full trunk with a note that was handed out to every student returning to Hogwarts in the fall, warning them not to use magic over the holidays (or until they turned seventeen). He had taken the note for appearances only since he had been practicing magic at home all year long for the past five years. Not many students were aware how the system worked. The notes were handed out to everyone but mostly pertained towards Muggle-borns since the Ministry couldn't really have children practicing magic in Muggle neighborhoods. For those who were raised in a magical family, the Ministry 'trusted' the parents or guardians to keep the magic use to a minimum.

It was actually rather unfair if you thought about it.

With a final glance at the castle, Orion followed Hagrid down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake to the train platform. Hagrid looked extremely uncomfortable until Orion quietly assured Hagrid that everything was fine between them. Orion knew that Hagrid blamed himself for everything that happened and probably would for some time regardless of what anyone tried to say to the contrary.

The train ride to platform nine and three-quarters was slightly uncomfortable for Orion. Ron was still quiet, Hayden was still unsure of how to act and everyone who didn't know Orion well kept stopping by to find out what really happened with Professor Quirrell. Orion's relief had come when Cedric entered their compartment and cast multiple locking charms before taking the open spot beside his 'little brother'. Cedric hadn't said much concerning Orion's battle with Voldemort and a Death Eater but there was no denying that he was upset. Orion could see it in Cedric's eyes.

When they finally reached King's Cross Station, Orion couldn't get off the train fast enough. He did what he could to ignore the stares and whispers as he scanned the crowd for his father and uncle. Hermione quickly spotted her parents and bid a slightly teary goodbye with a promise to write. Ron's family was easily spotted by the overabundance of red hair and the red haired girl jumping on the balls of her feet as she pointed excitedly to Hayden.

Hayden and Ron didn't appreciate that too much.

Ron also promised to write and shot Orion a nervous smile before joining his mother and brothers in scolding his sister to stop pointing at Hayden. Cedric was the next to bid farewell with a promise to Orion that they would talk later, leaving Orion, Neville and Hayden searching for a parent. It wasn't until the crown thinned out slightly that Orion finally spotted his father and uncle in the far corner talking to a familiar looking red-haired woman. Orion was about to approach when Hayden grabbed his arm.

"That's my mum," Hayden said in a hushed voice. "Trust me. We do _not_ want to get in the middle of this. She's really stubborn."

Orion pushed Hayden's hand away as his eyes narrowed. "So am I," he growled. "I swore to stand up for my dad and I'm going to do it, even if it means cursing your mum." Without another word, Orion quickly approached his father only to see that Sirius looked one comment away from losing his temper. The strange thing was that regardless of how close he got, he couldn't hear anything being said.

Remus was the first to notice Orion and quickly nudged Sirius as he turned his attention to the approaching children. "Hello, Ori, Neville!" he said with a smile. "Ready to go?"

Orion nodded as he patted his coat pocket where his shrunken trunk and empty owl cage were kept. Hedwig had gladly flown ahead since her cage was the last place she wanted to be. Sirius smiled but Orion could tell that it was slightly strained like it always was when something was wrong. Orion frowned slightly only to feel an arm wrap around him and pull him towards his father. Without a second thought, Orion wrapped his arms around Sirius and cast a quick glace at Mrs. Potter. There was a pained look on her face that quickly vanished the moment she turned her attention to Hayden.

"Come along, Hayden," Mrs. Potter said with a smile. "We should get your things—"

"—I have them already," Hayden said as he pulled a miniature trunk out of his pocket. "Orion taught me how to shrink it."

Mrs. Potter smiled as she rested a hand on Hayden's shoulder and turned her gaze to Orion. "On behalf of the Potter family, thank you for everything you've done for Hayden, Orion," she said sincerely. "We are in your debt."

Orion's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. Who did Mrs. Potter think she was fooling? "I appreciate the gesture, Mrs. Potter, but that really isn't necessary," Orion said diplomatically. "I would, however, ask that you abide by my father's wishes, whatever they may be."

Mrs. Potter's smile faltered slightly before she nodded, bid farewell and ushered Hayden away. Before they disappeared in the crowd, Hayden looked over his shoulder and waved goodbye. Orion didn't miss the confused but hopeful look on Hayden's face. Even though Hayden saw the dislike between the Blacks and Potters, he hoped that the younger generation would remain friends.

Surprisingly, Orion found that he shared that hope. In spite of everything they had been through, Orion found himself drawn to Hayden Potter for some reason. He couldn't explain why and that scared him more than he cared to admit. He didn't like not knowing or not understanding the reasons behind something. It made him feel so out of control.

"All right then," Remus said, breaking the silence. "Frank's waiting for us at Black Manor so we should probably get moving."

With a final glance at the crowd, Orion and Neville followed Remus and Sirius off the platform. For now, he wouldn't worry about it. After all, Orion had no intention on taking it easy during the summer. He had months of Remus' unique teaching to make up as well as plans to convince his father that Hogwarts was where he belonged. It was bound to be a challenge and Orion never backed down to a challenge.

_Let the games begin. _

* * *

A/N: And so comes the end of Book 1. Hopefully you all like it. Book two is currently in progress. Visit my author page to find it. 


End file.
